Just to make you aware, as a student nurse who is a Jehovah's Witness, after approaching the head of the department concerning BT, It isnt as easy to say that as a JW you can just ask another nurse to put up a transfusion for you. The Nursing and Midwifery counsel states that you have to protect the patient's rights at all times and in an emergency situation you may be the only nurse there and may have a patient who needs blood.

In addition to informing my employer BEFORE accepting the position that I would not be willing to do a transfusion AND filling out the appropriate paperwork stating my reasons why, I also had to attend a training class on transfusions. We have to be signed off that we have not only attended the class, but have been observed to correctly administer a transfusion before being able to do one independently. I explained to the trainers that I had been told by my future employer that I would not be responsible for performing transfusions. She automatically signed off the paperwork as "not applicable". So legally, I can't be expected to perform something I have not been signed off as competent in doing.

that is a good system; however in the uk i do not think we have such a get out clause as this. i would love it if in the future they had a specialist team ,such as the pain team, to come and administer the blood product. that would ensure that the blood was checked and administered by dedicated medical staff, who were specially trained for this task only and who would not get sidetracked with other patient issues, therefore narrowing the margin of error.
As as student i will not have to actually administer blood but i will have to learn the theory. hopefully there will be more legal back up for Witnesses and their beliefs in the uk in the future by the time i qualify. if not i will have to consider working in the clinics(hard jobs to get, and you do not use your nursing skills there) or get ajob in a nursing home which 2 of my spritual sisters have to do in my congregation.
all the best to you in your training
erica

Once you finish your training (not allowed to hang blood as a student), I would suggest you "not be anxious about tomorrow." There is such a nursing shortage here in US that you should be able to find a job easily. The decision YOU have to make is: "WHY am I in nursing?..is it to make enough money to support self/family or is it for the excitement of working in high pressure areas" ER, ICU,etc. I was already trained as a nurse anesthetist when I came into the truth and of course as you know, usually I was the one to decide when a patient needed a blood transfusion and administer it.
I simply could not give some-one something that I KNEW (from studying the blood booklet) would/could be harmful to the patient and that I would not want to receive myself (aside from what the bible teaches). Therefore, I chose to work in an out-patient surgery center (where no procedures would require a blood transfusion). It was not as exciting as previously, but I had a clear conscience as to obeying Jehovah AND knowing that I was giving my patients good care. As you prayerfully consider your options, I'm confident Jehovah will direct your steps.

dear Bgladlove thank you for your reply
i have always wanted to be a nurse, and in 1979 i started my training. back then the students were sent to get the blood from the blood bank. at the same time i got the truth. i made the decision then to give up my studies as i could not see a way forward. all these years later at 50 years old and after working for several years as a healthcare assistant on an orthopaedic ward, i re-started my studies. my motivation for doing so is to ultimately lessen my working hours per week. as a qualified nurse i could do 2 days a week and earn a livable wage, which would enable me to increase my ministry hours. i went into this with the idea that i would get a job in the clinics or in a private nursing home, because i knew that as a witness i would be facing ethical issues and i would rather just get on with my work and not create problems for myself. i 'sat down and counted the cost'.
your suggestion of nursing in the US is an attractive one but i think my age is against me.

erica

Dear Erica, I don't know where you live or what the nursing situation is where you live. However, don't feel bad about your age. My sister (not in truth) started her RN training when she was 50 and just loves it. She continues to work full-time at age 70yrs. A mature person brings lots of life skills (and with our knowledge of Jehovah & the future) can make you a better than average nurse. There are many areas (such as psychiatric nursing) that won't require strength(for lifting patients) or present problems with blood transfusion. Good for you for thinking ahead and desiring to spend more time in the ministry.
gladys

Alaska girl,
I am also an RN student and have had the same concerns as you as regards to how I should handle BT in the work place. I will graduate in May. I understand about the schedule. I am almost at my wits ends. You have received some great replies. I have heard many other JW RN's that have the view of we did not order the treatment, it is a treatment like others, so it doesn't bother them to administer it. I have battled this myself. There are other meds given like ROgham for RH - mothers that have blood components in them. The same handling procedures are required for this injection as giving a blood transfusion. But like several have said on this web site there are many positions that just don't require giving transfusion. And I would think that it would be similar to the issue of an elective abortion, if a nurse feels this is eithically wrong, the employer must be informed of this in writing before taking a position that may involve, at one time or another, this procedure.

I hope all goes well with you. Hang in there!

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that it is illegal for an employer to require an employee do something that they wish not to do for the sake of their religiously held beliefs unless it can be shown that it would cause "undue financial burden" on the employer... So what I am getting at is that if a non-JW nurse was on duty who could administer the blood in your place, they have to allow that arrangement... Otherwise, if the Hospital gave you trouble you could have the EEOC investigate into their illegal actions*... If you want to see an example of what the EEOC can do to remedy employment discrimination against JWs, read the following link:

AT&T To Pay $756,000 For Religious Bias Against Jehovah’s Witnesses

*No statements herein shall constitute legal advice... If you wish to know more about your civil rights, either research the laws yourself, or consult an attorney.

good answer

Your post was a few years ago, I am interested as to how your nursing has progressed and what personal experiences have shaped your decision-making in regards to the duty you have as a nurse to be part of a medical team that might administer blood. Sometimes when we begin employment it is difficult to be able to see ourselves in the big picture (IE: we live in America where all have freedom of choice, would you make your hospital libel if you helped administer a blood transfusion, or if you didn't?) You have freedom of choice as well, but the question was how far should your duty as a nurse effect your application of Bible scripture and law to someone who also has freedom of choice in America. Hope you can email me regarding this. end message.