Athiest Nurse at Religious Hospital? I can has ethical dilema?

[Heddi]

Hi y'all

So I'm atheist/agnostic, depending on how I feel that day.

I am also a nurse. RN to be exact. Taa dah.

Anyway. Looking at relocating to another state to be a nurse.

Found a really great hospital. Large, teaching, level 1 Trauma (right up my alley).

Everything looks good. Cruising through the site, lots of jobs that are right up my alley.

Then I see "doing God's work" as one part of their mission statement.

I have already applied, and assume quite strongly that I am qualified for the job listings and will be called back at least for a preliminary interview.

I really really need a job in this new state. All the other hospitals are offering me jobs in areas I'm not so keen on (currently a cardiac RN, looking to be trained for ER. Don't want to work on the "floor" anymore, want ED training. Everyone's offering me floor work with possibility of ED training sometime...not now...in the future...bleh)

Do I lie? Do I lead them to believe that I am of the God Believing type? That I am doing God's work?

Can they even legally ask me that, or fire me if I don't?

As it stands, I am an excellent clinician with a proven track record of excellent patient care, clinical skills, knowledge, continuing education etc etc etc. Basically, my non-belief in God has no bearing on how great (seriously) of an RN I am. No one knows. My patients don't know because it's not germaine to their care. My coworkers may or may not know but I live in a pretty liberal city and they know I'm a cynic so they probably assume I am, or whatever I don't care.

But 1) I don't want to get myself into a situation where I could be fired for not, you know, giving props to the big dood upstairs and 2) is it wrong to lie about beliefs to get a job ?

Then I guess #3...would I even want to work at a place that says their mission is Doing God's Work when I really don't think that I'm doing God's work at all...I'm a humanitarian but I do it because it's the right thing to do, not because I'm looking for brownie points to get me to the big cloudy crash pad after I take a dirt nap, yanno?

[WillParkinson]

1. Eep....

That is a tough one.

Laws regarding religious institutions might vary. It would depend on what state you're headed to.

Invoke your conscience clause. :-)

Hey, it works for the fundy types.

[Heddi]

3. So what does this mean (from the hospital's website)

Blah Blah Hospital affords equal opportunity to all qualified employees and applicants for employment, regardless of race, creed, color, disability, sex, age, national origin or marital status.

Is a creed the same as religion or lack of religion?

Then it says this on another page:

Blah Blah Hospital team is open and welcoming to people of all faiths and backgrounds. Come here and know that you belong.
---
Those both kind of sound like they won't not hire me if I tell them in the interview (which I won't) that I'm Atheist/Agnostic/Non-Chrisitan, but obviously I'm not going to volunteer this information.

I wonder how to address it if they ASK me....can they ask me, legally?

----
Oy yoy yoy on further looking:

We also begin departmental meetings with a time of spiritual focus and prayer.

eep

[progressoid]

5. Yeah, I'd be leary of that "spiritual focus and prayer".

I've done some work in various hospitals and the overly religious ones always creep me out a little. Like every room with a crucifix on the wall etc. Or seeing a hospital administrator walking down a hallway with a bible in his hand (yes - I saw that). I wonder what it would be like to deal with 5 days a week.

On the other end of the spectrum, one hospital system that claims a religious background, mostly ignored the god thing. Other than a chapel in each of their hospitals, it seemed pretty low keyed. (maybe they realized that pissing off their patients by pushing the wrong flavor of xianity might hurt their bottom line). Of course I was only there for 2 days so I can't say they didn't still push it behind closed doors.

:shrug:


Maybe you'll have to visit them to get a feel for the place.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. Lie like hell. It's your livelihood. They deserve it.

Of course, be always on the lookout for openings in non-crazy places.

But having to put on an act for a paycheck beats no paycheck at all, hands down.

[enlightenment]

10. I think - just think, I don't know for sure - that if they are

receiving any sort of federal funding they cannot discriminate based on your 'creed' or lack thereof. They shouldn't even ask.

What a lot of these places do is finagle the questions to get the answers they want. They're not supposed to ask you about your marital status or if you have children, but interviewers will often either, ask (because they figure you don't know your rights) or ask something that circles the question, like: "So, you're planning on moving to our city! That's great. Have you checked out the school districts yet?"

I suspect they might do the same with the faith question. "So, you just moved to 'X' neighborhood! I love the sense of community there and they are blessed with 'X' number of churches that offer lots of opportunities for <fill in the blank>. *kind smile and little chuckle* I bet you haven't had a chance to even think about that yet. I'm sure your former pastor/priest was able to give you introductions, right?"

"Indeed" is a pretty good answer to those questions - perhaps with a "I'll keep that in mind" accompanied by a smile. It's as noncommittal as you can get and still hold them at bay.

Good luck.

[RebelOne]

2. My daughter is an atheist and she worked as a production manager

at a Catholic college in Miami. She stuck it out because she got a free education. She stayed until she received her bachelor's degree and then went on to become a middle school teacher.

[cosmik debris]

4. Run Away!

You will not be happy there.

You may have to accept less pay or benefits elsewhere, but your blood pressure will thank you.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

6. Nobody can prove you don't believe in anything.

If pressed, just say you don't go to church. Fuck, buy a Bible and leave it around yor place if there's a risk of sudden visits.

It's your livelihood.

[rrneck]

8. If you really need the job , lie like a bear rug,

take the gig but don't plan to retire there. You'll get sick of it, and they'll get sick of you. Bail before you have to drag them into court.

[Warpy]

9. The ethical dilemma will come in when a pregnant woman does

and the fetus is non viable and so is she if she remains pregnant. We all know cases like that, second trimester fetuses in women who are gravely ill.

I'm guessing that god's work means saving the fetus at the cost of the woman's life.

As for asking your religious beliefs, that is illegal. My own response is to call upon my inner Dowager Duchess to tell them that is personal and very private, the implication being that they've just asked me about my sexual proclivities.

I've worked at religious but not Catholic hospitals because of the ethical consideration covering the female half of the human race. I can say that religiously affiliated hospitals treated the staff worse, without exception.

I'd advise getting your foot in the door at a county hospital and applying for every ED job that comes up. Eventually you'll get one.

[Evoman]

11. I would lie without guilt if I was asked.

But then, I am a man of loose morals who'll do just about anything for a buck.

[Heddi]

12. Thanks for the Info Everyone. Here's one bit of info I left out, if that makes a difference

It's a 7th Day Adventist hospital.

I don't know much about 7th Day Adventists other than they're vegetarians. Oh and there was a 7DA TV channel where I used to live that had this rockin show KIDS TIME and it was so wacky and ridiculous. Back then I'd fire up a big old bowl and laugh at Miss Brenda teaching kids how to make Cabbage and Pasta (recipe of the day).

Anyway, how are 7th Day Adventists compared to Baptists and Catholics and those types? Are they fundyrific??

[progressoid]

13. Ewww, 7th day adventists

They remind me of a smaller version of Mormonism. On my fundy scale of 1-10, I'd give them a 7.6. I wonder if they hire non-members to work Saturdays since they aren't supposed to do anything on the 7th day.


A few years ago I had lunch in a 7th D.A. college cafeteria a couple times. Pretty good food. Not only vegetarian, but no caffeine either. But the weird thing...no pepper. Really, they had plain salt & flavored salts, but no pepper. :crazy: Maybe pepper was a gateway condiment. :shrug:

Of course when the weekend comes around, they all went off campus to smoke, drink and enjoy life. That is until curfew when they beat feet back to the dorm.

[Deep13]

14. Yeah, that's a judgment call.

"All faiths" by implications precludes a rejection of faith. And just what the hell is "God's work?" And that opening business meetings with religious crap isn't exactly a confidence builder.

On the other hand, it may be worth it to tolerate that stuff for career reasons. As far as an ethical dilemma, that is on their shoulders, not yours. A hospital is not a church and it should not make any difference what your private views are. In fact, all else being equal a nonbeliever would make a better nurse than one who believes in magical causes and divine control over life processes. So, nondisclosure or even misinformation on your part is not unethical to avoid superstitious bigoted discrimination.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

15. You said it much better and less bluntly than I did.

"Nondisclosure or even misinformation on your part is not unethical to avoid superstitious bigoted discrimination."

That's a quote full of truth.