"No One Respects My Religious Beliefs"

[Mikey31079]

Hey everyone,

There is a nursing assistant employed at our hospital who is a devout Muslim. I understand that she is very devoted to her faith and I can respect that. However, what most of the staff take issue with is that she feels she is entitled to leave the floor several times a shift to pray, regardless of whatever else may be going on. Last night, she took it upon herself to leave the floor at 4am "whether there is anyone on the floor to relieve me or not!" In the midst of this, the float aide was helping the other aide in the ICU and was unavailable. This person goes past the desk announcing she's leaving and stormed off to the breakroom WITH NO OTHER AIDE ON THE FLOOR! (I'm the unit clerk.) I reported her to the charge nurse. I'm not sure what all was said but at one point I heard her scream through the breakroom door about how she felt we were disrespectful and ganging up on her and we discriminate against her religion. I wouldn't have said anything, but I thought her going off the floor like that was totally unfair, especially to the patients.

What are your thoughts on this?

[ArtClassRN, ADN, RN]

I think this nurse assistant needs to find a job that is a better match to her worship schedule.

[Future_LPN15]

As a Muslim speaking , with all respect due , THERE IS NOOOOOO SUCH THING , prayer time change and there is not set time daily for EX . Prayer times now starting from morning in get up @ 3:55 am , then 1:01 pm then 4:59pm then 8:30 pm then 10:07pm ( so again these time are not set ) ppl she really have fact and a little knowledge regarding other ppl belief before the start tell their co-worker what they need to do . Smh ?it sad.

[Nola009]

I would tell her that Allah frowns upon patient abandonment. If she's praying at the hospital, chances are every surface is technically 'haram' --- contaminated w/ something, somehow. Even if it's just her scrubs. I don't feel like you're disrespecting her religious beliefs, I think she's feeling like she can use the guise of religion to pull a fast one on you folks. Either that, or she doesn't understand the sentiment behind the rules/teachings of her own religion.

[BeachsideRN, ASN]

Praying is the new smoke break. It's ashamed people abuse policy like this.

[Heliantus]

As a Muslim speaking , with all respect due , THERE IS NOOOOOO SUCH THING , prayer time change and there is not set time daily for EX . Prayer times now starting from morning in get up @ 3:55 am , then 1:01 pm then 4:59pm then 8:30 pm then 10:07pm ( so again these time are not set ) ppl she really have fact and a little knowledge regarding other ppl belief before the start tell their co-worker what they need to do . Smh ?it sad.

I could not understand what you wanted to say by this post? Time for prayers is not set? So she can pray at home, and not endanger patients? Am I the only one lost?

[TheGooch]

If she's supposed to pray 5 times a day then she should do it before coming to work, during her lunch and 2 breaks and then again at home. Why should the hospital accommodate her when she has a lunch and 2 breaks to practice her personal religion requirements.

[Future_LPN15]

I was was meaning that the time that I post are the times but that's today, tomorrow the minutes will go up EX instead of 1:01pm it will be 1:02 pm you CANNOT PUT OFF YOUR PRAYER , ( making prayer is a really meaningful part of the religion ) and if she knows like a do she would ave got approval for her DON so things such as this would happen .

[Heliantus]

I was was meaning that the time that I post are the times but that's today, tomorrow the minutes will go up EX instead of 1:01pm it will be 1:02 pm you CANNOT PUT OFF YOUR PRAYER , ( making prayer is a really meaningful part of the religion ) and if she knows like a do she would ave got approval for her DON so things such as this would happen .

I don't think that praying is the problem here. The problem is that this nurse leaves the floor without making sure that someone can/wants to cover for her. She cannot leave the patients for whatever the reason. What if one of them dies? Is that a risk one is willing to take? What's wrong with praying on the floor?

[Future_LPN15]

I guess you guys would really understand because it seems to me that y'all have this understand that this girl can put off her prayer and it combine her prayer on her own time and she CANNOT NOT . To get a better understand ( just for your own knowledge ) because I try not to speak without knowledge , there is a book called a Muslim prayer ,this should come in handy . Goodnight ladies,

[Future_LPN15]

Nonthing wrong with prayer on the unit , but I will tell you that it will still be behind closed door .

[klone, MSN, RN]

I guess you guys would really understand because it seems to me that y'all have this understand that this girl can put off her prayer and it combine her prayer on her own time and she CANNOT NOT . To get a better understand ( just for your own knowledge ) because I try not to speak without knowledge , there is a book called a Muslim prayer ,this should come in handy . Goodnight ladies,

Do not understand what you're saying. There are also men here.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

I don't know much about islam, but know they do pray at certain times of the day. I've had a muslim dr ask to use an empty room to pray, but he wasn't in their long so I don't think the prayers have to last a long time.