Shabbos/Religious Observances

Nurses General Nursing

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As I begin the applications process for nursing schools, I have one huuuuge concern - my religious obligations. I am not permitted to work/attend school, etc. from sunset Friday nights until an hour past sunset on Saturday nights because of the Jewish sabbath. I've heard that a lot of programs have 12hr clinicals on Saturdays...yikes! Has anyone "worked it out" with similar obligations?

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
It's true that these are healthy practices, but if health were the primary consideration, why wouldn't the bible just simply say "wash your hands and don't eat pork because you will be healthier". :lol2:

Because the Bible likes to embellish everything in allegory and symbolism?

Also, ancient tribal life was different than our modern, rational age. They didn't know about micro organisms, they thought epilepsy was evil spirits, they thought floods and hurricaines were the wrath of God.

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Specializes in DOU.

Also, ancient tribal life was different than our modern, rational age. They didn't know about micro organisms, they thought epilepsy was evil spirits, they thought floods and hurricaines were the wrath of God.

^ Exactly why I doubt they understood the value of hand-washing. Seems coincidental to me.

Whatever the reason, it doesn't seem to matter at this point.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
^ Exactly why I doubt they understood the value of hand-washing. Seems coincidental to me.

Whatever the reason, it doesn't seem to matter at this point.

I suspect that some of their more intelligent members had observed a cause and effect. They saw that people who practised handwashing did not get dysentary. They noticed that eating pork caused bad things to happen. Those people weren't called the chosen people for nothing. They were extremely intelligent!

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

Just my two cents worth.

I personally don't believe it's fair to expect a certain day off once a week (especially on the weekends) because of ANY reason. Yes i believe Nurse Managers all should at least try to accommadate ppl for , but in the end nursing is a 24/7 job. I know at my hospital that nursing staff would be pretty angry if they had to work extra shifts because of this. Not because we're intolerant but because we want everyone to be treated equally on the roster. For example, i used to play sport on Monday nights and wanted this time off. My NM used to do her best but sometimes i just had to miss out. Why should this be any different for a religious reason?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Just my two cents worth.

I personally don't believe it's fair to expect a certain day off once a week (especially on the weekends) because of ANY reason. Yes i believe Nurse Managers all should at least try to accommadate ppl for , but in the end nursing is a 24/7 job. I know at my hospital that nursing staff would be pretty angry if they had to work extra shifts because of this. Not because we're intolerant but because we want everyone to be treated equally on the roster. For example, i used to play sport on Monday nights and wanted this time off. My NM used to do her best but sometimes i just had to miss out. Why should this be any different for a religious reason?

Ultimately, this is how I feel. The expectation of the facility I work is we do every other weekend. End of discussion. If one can not work every other weekend they shouldn't take the job. Just as there is a strict starting and stopping time. People who can't come in at 6:45 because of their kids, or work every other weekend for whatever reason really have no business accepting the position.

It doesn't mean that we don't try to acccommodate people. We have a few nurses that can't work Saturdays because of kids and work every Sunday in exchange. But if push comes to shove and the manager wanted to enforce the every other weekend rule she should be able to, because that's fair and what they were hired into.

On the other hand if the manager promises a person time off for religious, or other reasons, and then tries to switch after the person is hired, that is wrong as well. People should be honest with each other at hire. If you can't work any particular schedule then you should ask for what you want up front. I hate when people are hired and start work, end their orientation and then say "I'm sorry I can't work weekends, and I need to come in 45 minutes late every day".

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Specializes in DOU.

I think people should be allowed to get whatever they can negotiate in to their contract. If that means Monday nights off for football, fine by me. Sundays off for church? No problem. Shabbat? Fine.

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I dunno. Maybe it's just me, but I see a difference between spending a day in rest, prayer, and meditation and eating wings and swilling beer while yelling at the television.

Unless we are willing to accommodate one another's cultures and religions we might as well tell certain groups to just stay away from us and remain in their ghettoes - and that Italian word originally referred to the Jewish sections of Italian towns.

I don't care at all about Christmas, and only care about Thanksgiving because my husband cares about a turkey. I'll let anyone who wants those days have them because we're trying to have a society here, people!

It isn't about "No FAIR!" It's about doing unto others and all that.

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Years ago I worked with a nurse who was a strict Jehovah's Witness. She had every Sunday off, and in exchange she worked every Saturday. I had no problem with that and neither did anyone else.

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after reading this thread, i watched my favorite movie, "fiddler on the roof".

and now i'm singing (very, very loud, throughout the house), ":Melody:to life! to life! l'achaim (sp)...l'achaim, l'achaim, to life! life has a way of...:Melody:"

i don't mind sharing w/you:

if i was ever to pursue any one religion, it would definitely be Judaism.

just from my upbringing, i have embraced it to be one of the most honorable ways of living.

my very, very, very, VERY orthodox cousin still calls me, insisting that i am a Jew, whether i accept or not, because "that is who you are".

after yrs of her telling me this, i'm starting to appreciate what she means.

she's married to a Rabbi...the kind that wears the long beard and the hat.

i want to watch "fiddler" again.

thanks for letting me swoon. :balloons:

leslie

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my very, very, very, VERY orthodox cousin still calls me, insisting that i am a Jew, whether i accept or not, because "that is who you are".

leslie

Judaism is the belief, but isn't being Jewish also ethnic? Tay-Sachs is a disease found primarily in ethnic Jews, I remember hearing in school.

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Specializes in mostly in the basement.

Interesting discussion and lots of learning. I think I have to fall on the side of, yes, do everything possible to accomodate but if push comes to shove, all's fair in life and schedule. I think the best bet is get it agreed to upfront. Then down the line there are no bad feelings--for whatever reason.

To the OP question---my school would penalize students for missing clinical for any reason--and I specifically remember one person very upset because it was for a religious observance.

The school's answer was that everyone was allowed one miss with no penalty. If that's what they chose to miss for then that was on them. Seemed a little hard ass to me but I guess ultinately it was fair.

Anyway, good luck w/school!

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
after reading this thread, i watched my favorite movie, "fiddler on the roof".

and now i'm singing (very, very loud, throughout the house), ":Melody:to life! to life! l'achaim (sp)...l'achaim, l'achaim, to life! life has a way of...:Melody:"

i don't mind sharing w/you:

if i was ever to pursue any one religion, it would definitely be Judaism.

just from my upbringing, i have embraced it to be one of the most honorable ways of living.

my very, very, very, VERY orthodox cousin still calls me, insisting that i am a Jew, whether i accept or not, because "that is who you are".

after yrs of her telling me this, i'm starting to appreciate what she means.

she's married to a Rabbi...the kind that wears the long beard and the hat.

i want to watch "fiddler" again.

thanks for letting me swoon. :balloons:

leslie

I also love that movie, it's my favorite musical!!! My favorite scene is when the Sabbath starts and they all gather around the table as Mama lights the candles and sings. I love that song!!! I own a copy. Maybe it's time to pull it out!

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