Sharing faith at work

GrumpyRN, NP · Nov 28, 2014

Seems to me that as long as your co-workers are getting their work done, it's no business of yours or anyone else's to decide HOW.

But it is, I stated this is a management issue. I am a Charge Nurse and I need to know exactly what my staff are up to when I am running the department.

TheBlackDogWaits · Nov 29, 2014

As a practicing buddhist in the south, where Catholicism is not only mainstream but intrinsic motivation for 99% of folks for all things, I have found it disconcerting to entertain any religious conversation, for obvious reasons.

Recently, I was hired at a catholic facility, complete with a very large chapel, unlike any of the modest closet-sized chapels I've seen before in a hospital setting.

Sickness and death are scary, and I have realized that people cling to God in their time of fear and uncertainty. A lot of people don't necessarily ask you questions about religion or preach because they want to interrogate you or beseech you to worship their Gods. I find that they do it in a genuine attempt to make a human connection or to make a divine connection.

I don't think it's necessary to be ugly about it. :no:

If your patient's intention is to be good, I don't see the value in resigning to sarcasm and dismissal, as previous posters have aspired to do. There are plenty of respectful and creative ways to respond, regardless of whether your patient is aware of your boundaries and values, or not.

It is our job to be open-minded and compassionate, not our patients', particularly in a hospital with religious affiliation . If our patients were open-minded and compassionate, these attributes wouldn't have a place in our job descriptions.

Having said that, praying with a patient is a personal matter. I would say it is entirely acceptable to modestly bow your head and say nothing should your patient ask you to join them in prayer. Make a grocery list, or whatever, and if you are so inclined, then by all means, pray.

Congratulations on your new job! :up:

Red Kryptonite · Nov 29, 2014

I don't think it's necessary to be ugly about it.

THIS is brilliant. There are too many people who seem think that their religious preference, whatever it is, justifies them in acting like total jerks to other people.

Nienna Celebrindal · Dec 3, 2014

lol wow you guys took this to places I didn't expect it to go. I guess I wasn't clear either because I was curious if anyone actually had prayed with a patient and what that was like and not whether or not I should.

I haven't stopped and prayed for anyone yet, I don't know that I will. While I do pray outside of work its so foreign to me to include at work I'm not sure I will even though this is clearly a religious hospital. We do a group prayer before the shift starts though, everyone working on the unit, and I like that. Sets a nice tone.

And not to fear Grumpy, I haven't seen anyone else pray either so I don't think anyone will be foisting their work load onto others due to prayer lol.

SubSippi · Dec 3, 2014

I'm not religious, nor do I work in a religious facility. But I live in the Bible Belt, and may as well work at a religious hospital.

Our nurses pray with patients all the time. They usually will say something like, "Would it make you feel better if we prayed about it?"

Most people appreciate it. The few atheists you encounter will either politely decline, or maybe even just go along with it. Take it from me, most atheists (or people who practice a religion that's in the minority) that live in a highly religious area are so used to it, they probably won't blink an eye.

nixonk86 · Dec 3, 2014

[Take it from me, most atheists (or people who practice a religion that's in the minority) that live in a highly religious area are so used to it, they probably won't blink an eye.]

So thankful I live in Australia

nixonk86 · Dec 3, 2014

Take it from me, most atheists (or people who practice a religion that's in the minority) that live in a highly religious area are so used to it, they probably won't blink an eye.

So thankful I live in Australia

allnurses Guide · Dec 3, 2014

I am blessed to have a new job at a religious based hospital that encourages spirituality and sharing faith and prayer with patients (within in reason, no be pushy or disrepectful). On the one hand I am excited to be able to pray for a patient or feel like I can discuss their religious beliefs, on the other hand it feels so awkward and foreign at a job since it's normally taboo.
Has anyone ever been in this position? Other than pray does anyone have advise? I have such a hard time imaging openly praying with and for a patient.

Your hospital must be an exception to the largest religion-based hospitals in only admitting people who share a particular religion. Usually they provide healthcare without a litmus test like that.

Not really following the logic of telling the staff they are expected to talk about religion when all of the patients already practice the religion.

In any case, I think it's best to assess each situation by your patients/families individual needs and become sensitive to cues from the patients when you consider whether or not someone wants to talk or pray. That wouldn't be all that different from what most hospitals do currently with chaplains, etc.

I'm pretty sure most people can tell when another is feeling awkward and uncomfortable. In such cases it might actually be better not to bring it up at all.

I can say that in all my years in nursing nobody has ever told me I must pray with my patients. Best wishes to you!

CountryMomma, ASN, RN · Dec 3, 2014

When I was an aide at a large, Lutheran - based SNF I felt completely uncomfortable and even uneasy with the amount of religion that had been injected into the day. I'm not Christian, and the group prayer pre-shift, the crosses and Jesus paintings all over made me feel awkward and unwelcome. I hid my religion to avoid any possible negative repercussion. I don't think it's fair to force employees into following the corporation's religion of choice, imho. And to ask or require employees to pray with the patient is heading in that direction quite quickly. If I were urged to pray with a patient things would be awkward in a heartbeat when I invoke Brigid's healing fire as the pt is reciting a hail Mary or whatever one prays when they are ill.

This doesn't mean I can't respect their spiritual needs - that's why I have a high referral rate to the chaplains in my hospital.

As for being the patient? Well, if my nurse asks me to pray with her and he or she opens with "Our Father..." I'm going to be uncomfortable, unimpressed, won't say anything for fear of negatively affecting my care or triggering a conversion, and you bet my sweet bippy I'll be on that press ganey and it won't be "always".

Nienna Celebrindal · Dec 3, 2014

We are not told too, we are encouraged to based on our comfort level and the comfort of the patient.

I never wrote that it was a requirement.

Red Kryptonite · Dec 3, 2014

CountryMomma, I'm pretty sure you knew going in that it was a religious employer. If you are that uncomfortable with displays of faith not your own, why choose to place yourself in that particular environment?

CountryMomma, ASN, RN · Dec 3, 2014

Because I was pregnant, needed to support my growing family, and they were/are the only SNF in the town. I like how your response to employees feeling intimidated by religious requirements is "find a new job".

OP, how exactly do you determine if your patient is okay with you praying over them?