Seventh Day Adventist and working on Sabbath???

Nurses Spirituality

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I was curious, I am a Seventh-Day Adventist and am struggling with the concept of working on Sabbath when your job, whether it be being a cop, firefighter, or someone else who is saving a life. The Bible is not always black and white and even though the Ten Commandments DO say to rest on the seventh day from all your labors, there are other instances in the Bible where helping others during time of rest are the right thing to do. What about those Nicu babies??? What about those who need constant care??? I would like input from a spiritual standpoint on how you all respect your Sabbaths and do it as a nurse.

Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.
Hello That is the part that is obvious, but I am still trying to make an effort to know with my heart how to do the right thing. Some things are just so foggy so getting input and opinions from what others do helps broaden my mind and help me to make this decision now that Nursing school is a reality for me.[/quote']

And you come here for it? Go to your church, my advise is work!

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Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.
Hello,

this is something else that confuses me a tad bit; I have done CNA training in the past and they told me in training that were are prohibited from speaking or expressing religious backgrounds from our standpoint. How does that work in an Adventist Hospital?

Not all of your patients will be SDA. Same rules apply in every hospital. This means that you provide emotional support without prostelyzing or attempting to teach the word to others.

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And you come here for it? Go to your church, my advise is work!

The people on here could very well be from church. No reason for me to doubt that people on here wouldn't have good insight. I also already mentioned that I do plan to speak with my pastor in a previous post. People on here should also be taken into account because what one person might not say that can be helpful, someone on here could mention. That is the entire purpose of making threads on AN: to get advice and give advice or talk about particular topics. Nothing wrong with me seeking out advise.

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Hello Yes, I will be looking into this at possible workplaces, with my pastor, along with any other advice that comes along. Thanks for your input.[/quote']

I too am SDA and I found what works best for me as to not compromise my Sabbath is to work nights. I work Saturday and Sunday nights as my weekends. I won't do Friday nights. Work better that way as many managers won't budge for religious preferences.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I have a friend, we graduated together, he is SDA as is another girl on my floor. The NM are more than willing to work with them so they don't work Sat. One works Sun instead and the other works F/S/S nights. We are a very diverse hospital and they are pretty good about working around personal needs as yours.

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Specializes in RETIRED Cath Lab/Cardiology/Radiology.

A nurse friend always donates her Sabbath earnings to the church (in some capacity).

I know when I work as a nurse I am doing necessary things, no matter what the day.

Taking care of the sick, to me, qualifies as "necessary."

Each of us must work out what is right for us, in our individual life and belief journey.

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A nurse friend always donates her Sabbath earnings to the church (in some capacity).

I know when I work as a nurse I am doing necessary things, no matter what the day.

Taking care of the sick, to me, qualifies as "necessary."

Each of us must work out what is right for us, in our individual life and belief journey.

Amen to that.

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Amazingly enough, I just put my son to bed not too long ago and read him his Bible lesson. The theme was about how we CAN heal and CARE for those who are sick. Look at that. When you pray for answers God is excellent at making sure you receive them :).

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Hello,

this is something else that confuses me a tad bit; I have done CNA training in the past and they told me in training that were are prohibited from speaking or expressing religious backgrounds from our standpoint. How does that work in an Adventist Hospital?

The SDA hospital has this as their mission statement as does a catholic hospital I worked for. They don't impose their religious beliefs on the patients. But a private not for profit hospital can have policy's that are in line with the church. You do not force them on patients. Working at the SDA the patients could have meat and coffee while the cafe was vegetarian and had no caffeine.

Working at the SDA facility I worked with a very diverse group of people and all beliefs were respected.

It was asked if a patient wanted to pray, you could pray with them or if you were not comfortable there were other staff of chaplains on hand. One thing I liked was a chaplain was part of the code team and was paged whenever there was a code. The chaplains while most were SDA they were trained in other religious views as well to provide comfort to patients from other religious standpoints.

Your training as a CNA, they don't want you pushing your beliefs onto patients, but respect and honor the beliefs that your patients have.

While working at the SDA I never felt that they were trying to convert me with their policy's, but I did learn a lot about SDA while working there.

It is all about having mutual respect for others beliefs

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Hello,

this is something else that confuses me a tad bit; I have done CNA training in the past and they told me in training that were are prohibited from speaking or expressing religious backgrounds from our standpoint. How does that work in an Adventist Hospital?

While they area religious facility....it is against policy for you to talk/minister about religion with your patients

,

I worked a catholic facility for many years. I loved the quiet presence of peace...the ever present clergy...Father and nuns that were just always...there. I found it comforting. In the midst of chaos I would look up and see Sisters face...ever present, ever calming. But we didn't discuss our views with the patient. My personal religion is just that...mine.

The clergy was always just there. At the time...it was years ago....we had morning prayer and evening vespers pm the PA system Mass was celebrated in the chapel every day and those who wished to go to mass (within the allotted time just like everyone else) they were allowed to go. Father (the cutest little Irishmen with a faint smell of pipe tobacco and just a hint of bourbon at night) would come around and offer communion on Sundays and ashes on Ash Wednesday.

But we didn't discuss religion at the bedside. We would be empathetic and bow our heads if the patient wanted to pray out of respect for the patient and offer to call their clergy or our clergy to pray with them

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Amazingly enough, I just put my son to bed not too long ago and read him his Bible lesson. The theme was about how we CAN heal and CARE for those who are sick. Look at that. When you pray for answers God is excellent at making sure you receive them :).
answers when you least expect them.
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While not SDA I am a devote Christian and I understand your conflict. My father is a pastor and since I have finished school and began working I have always worked every other Sunday. It bothered me for the same reasons as you.

My father told me that some professions need to work 24/7 using the of in the ditch principle. Such as fire fighters, police, emts, ect... he said death, sickness, crime, and destruction never take a day off. He then said that of all the professions the medical field had more basis for working on the Sabbath or Sunday than any other because Jesus healed often on on the the Sabbath!

My father than went to where God told Samuel that he looks on the heart and not the outside. God does know our hearts and I don't believe that we will be judged for this in the end. Caring and compassion are major parts of the Christian faith and what better way than to demonstrate this than thru nursing.

You have to decide what your conscience and belief system will allow you to do. I will pray with you that you find your answer! :)

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