respecting ones faith at work...the fine line

[sasha2lady]

what is the best way to deal with current staff who dont respect new hires r/t their "beliefs" ??? I gave one warning to some aides about respecting some new hires who have a totally different way of living than what the rest of us have and they blew me off and insisted they dont intend to respect these people at all. I cant force it cuz Im not God but....its irritating. I personally dont agree with how they live but I dont have to live with them or be in their community nor does anyone else there so I show respect for them because they are my new coworkers and I dont want them to be scared off by the insensitive, careless remarks and actions by ignorant staff. I dont care what they do outside of work as long as when they are at work they pull their weight. And its not like they are at work handing out booklets trying to sucker anybody in to their way of life or anything. Im not having to listen to it as much since Ive switched the shift I work but I feel so bad for these people having to put up with this bull.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Report them, with quotes.

[juliaann]

Someone needs to bring it to the attention of managment. Sounds like a discrimination lawsuit waiting to happen.

[cparks]

if it is interfering with patient care then it should be reported.

[llg, PhD, RN]

People who harrass other employees because of their religious beliefs need to be fired (after going through the appropriate disciplinary procedures, of course). As others have said, it is a discrimination lawsuit just waiting to happen.

Document (with dates, times, quotes, etc.) and report it to the management. Support them to do the right thing.

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Can you go into a little bit more detail, or no?

Understanding the backgrounds of the people who are being pestered, as well as the background of the people doing the pestering can help a bit in thinking up creative ways.

For example, if the people doing the pestering are Christians, there is a slew of things you could cite them for in disregarding their own religion by persecuting others.

I would report it either way - but if it bothers you enough to report it - you might feel better speaking out about it as well.

[Moogie]

Unfortunately, in some workplaces, proselytizing is tolerated. I once talked to someone of a particular religious viewpoint who felt it was his/her duty to "bring the good news" and "witness" to co-workers AND residents in a LTC facility. I don't know if management was clueless or sympathetic to this person's beliefs but the powers that be did nothing. I find it totally inappropriate for any person who is employed in a health care setting to use his/her job as a platform to try to recruit others to his/her beliefs.

Wrong, wrong, wrong on so many levels but incredibly offensive and unprofessional for someone to try to preach ANY beliefs to patients who are hospitalized or residents in a LTC or group setting.

[sasha1224]

When I read your post it got me thinking....I currently work in a fairly diverse cultural area(largely hispanic and tribal groups) but I realized that I have not encountered some of the diverse groups that I had in my home state. In my home city, I encountered more often Muslims and Mormons as religious groups, African immigrants, and also homosexual groups. I wonder if partly tolerance is where you grow up/or spent a good deal of your adult life in. Growing up and working with these groups, I hadn't really realized that the area I am in now doesn't have very populous groups of these. I was "used" to them and didn't have a problem. For me, the inexperienced area I am in currently, is the cultures I encounter now, and since I am not familiar with them, I am more aware.

Never the less, as health care providers, we should be more tolerant of others' religious and lifestyle choices. And being intolerant is really not acceptable.

[Gerry1888RN]

Sasha, I'm assuming when you say "lifestyle choices" you mean gay people, or as you say "homosexual groups." People don't choose to be gay! People choose what religion, or what type of "God" that they want to believe in!

[caliotter3]

As said before, bring this to the attention of management, in writing, citing dates, times, details. This is a management issue to deal with, but you want to make sure you have done your part, especially if it does come down to a lawsuit. As long as you have made your effort in verbal and written counseling/warnings, and brought it to the attention of management you should be ok when it comes to court. Your coworkers think they are being little wise acres. See, what they think of their ignorant behavior if they have to testify in a courtroom.

[sasha2lady]

Well, basically its a cult like organization with 2 leaders that control its members lives...all of it. Leaders decide what areas members will be educated and work in (nursing is very very popular right now for them), when & who they marry, when they have kids, they have to live in specific areas, drive certain kinds of vehicles & they have to dress the same. They never live or work alone. Multiple familes live in a single house that has a house leader..thats the one who gets the others paychecks etc..for the "church". They only eat certain foods and are allowed no sugar etc in their diet, so mostly they drink water. If you were to join and you had kids, you would be separated from your kids til you proved your level of commitment to "god and the church". its like a ladder that you have to work your way up. there are alot of other things that go on in this place that are too bad to bring up. I went to what I thought was a church service there years and years ago....and it was something else. The doors were locked with all of us inside...guarded. It has surveillance cams all around it with 24 hour guards. Since its in such a remote place you cant even pass the building without being stopped by a guard. However, when these folks are in the workplace, they are super super nice. Its so hard to understand how such seemingly sensible people get involved in this organization but basically....its just a cult. I wouldnt even call it that if I hadnt been in that place and saw the things I saw and heard. I just wish that the elder staff members would just give them a chance. They dont bother anybody. they keep their outside lives outside. They dont even mention their organization unless you ask them & even then its hush hush. I agree that they are acting in an ignorant fashion & are in turn digging their own hole to fall into....it would suck to lose a job or what not just because you cant keep your mouth shut PRN. This organization is all over the world, its huge and probably will continue to grow as it pulls in members from all over. I say, to each his own, but I would personally never ever ever ever ever go near this particular place as long as I live.

[DirtyBlackSocks]

That all sounds very extreme, but it still has nothing to do with what kind of nurses they are or how they work.

If they are nice people at the work place, and they don't go around touting their religion to patients - then what's the problem?

Your superiors are supposed to be leaders and role models, not senior staff who get extra privileges because they've been there longer. You might want to remind them of that.

I would just file a report, maybe let the two being scrutinized know that not everyone in the hospital think they're freaks, etc.

Personally, I equate bigotry and racism along the lines of drug addicts. It ruins the lives of the people affected by it, and nobody can change unless they want to change. If your superiors want to blow you off - then you need to use the chain of command and get their superiors to discipline them.

That's the way it goes. Props to you for being an open minded person, compassion and understanding are what nursing is all about. The attitudes you speak of coming out of the other nurses in your sector are the reason religion gets a bad name.

They embarrass themselves, and they embarrass everyone affiliated with them.