Religion in EMS

[Celtictigeress]

Religion is touchy bcause so many think THEIR religion is the only right one...

Religion at work is like Religion at School..>With so many beliefs SOMEONE is bound to be insulted, if the family asks its one thing, But if your in a Non Christian Home and begin a Christian Prayer it may offend someone Yanno?

Wait until your alone and the Patint is where he BELONGS call over THN focus on your prayer.. I beliv whn with the pt your focus need be on the pt....

regardless you cant please everyone right???Someone will always be hurt or insulted a conversation like this will always be a lose/lose in a sens that One day itll be stumbled on and someones pantis will b in a twist

 

[rescuecpt]

I'm a Christian. If a patient is Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Wiccan, etc. and they want to pray or want me to pray with them - why not? Who does it hurt? If I don't believe in what's being said, I can either stay quiet, or say it anyway, if it doesn't mean anything to me, but it means something to the patient, then no harm no foul for me, and maybe it helps them.

I wouldn't initiate prayer with a patient on my own, but I have, a few times in the past 6 years, asked a scared patient if they have faith or if they are spiritual - most of the time they say yes and pray on their own - sometimes they say no and I leave it at that.

Can't we all just get along?!

 

[GaEMT]

OK to play devil's advocate (no pun intended) For all of those who do not wish to hear my religous or political beliefs, I do not care to hear your tasteless jokes. Work is not the place for such things. If my releigion offends you, sorry. Have you ever gotten down off the soap box to think that some of the jokes you make may offend me? There can't be a double standard............................

 

[ffemt8978]

OK to play devil's advocate (no pun intended) For all of those who do not wish to hear my religous or political beliefs, I do not care to hear your tasteless jokes. Work is not the place for such things. If my releigion offends you, sorry. Have you ever gotten down off the soap box to think that some of the jokes you make may offend me? There can't be a double standard............................

This leads me to a question that I would, in all seriousness, like to ask.

I know the Constitution protects the freedom of religion and various other things, but can anyone tell me where it says you have the right not to be offended or upset?

I think we have created this "right" in an effort to push certain veiwpoints on others under the guise of political correctness. After all, you're free to believe whatever you want in this country but you are NOT free to push your beliefs on others.

 

[GaEMT]

Please bear in mind you are also not free to insult others with tasteless jokes. Last time I checked their is no constitutional right to not being offeneded. I would think it would be part of being a member of society to think of others before saying something. You don't want to hear my religion, I don't want to hear your jokes.....And I believe this was the original concept of this topic. Just my thoughts..................

Bring on the flames........

 

[c-spine]

All's I know is that I've been told that I'm going to hell so many times after talking to people about religion because I wasn't the "right" religion that I don't talk about it any more.

/me agrees with Liese.


I'm not hugely religious, but as many have said, if it makes the patient feel better; I'll do what I can for them - even if it is saying a prayer.

 

[fm_emt]

I'm not hugely religious, but as many have said, if it makes the patient feel better; I'll do what I can for them - even if it is saying a prayer.

<bad joke>
I prefer it when patients say "can you swing through a Taco Bell on the way to the hospital? It'll make me feel SOOOO much better!" I'm totally on board with them at that point. whatever it takes to help them out! :-D

Besides, add some of that "Fire" sauce and I'm praying to $DEITY anyway.

</bad joke>

 

[Anomalous]

Would that be in the context of "dear God, just give us one :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: :censored: beat!" Been there, done that... =)

Exactly what I meant. Of course there is the ever popular Shepard's Prayer spoken into an open mike by Alan Shepard aboard Freedom 7 as he was about to be shot into space... "Please, dear God, don't let me f*** up." I've also used that one accidently, but of course apologized later.

 

[Stevo]

We had a 3 month old SIDS patient that the mother had meant to get baptised. One EMT performed the baptism with NS while the other two did CPR. Don't know what her church thought of it but mom was VERY happy.

that's a good one, an extrodinary circumstance where you and your crew went the extra mile to include something to make your patient (in this case, the mother) feel better

I've also prayed in the middle of a call, although I imagine points were taken off for using four letter words in the prayer.

i think most of us have begged/cursed our diety , maybe even in the same breath, during our tenure

He's a slacker imho

that said, has anyone else here found out how detrimental it is to roll up on something really bad and utter "Oh God" ?

Bring on the flames........

while i agree good taste should previal, i could care less if any religmo is offended, in fact seeing as religion is the A#1 killer of mankind, and constitutes just about every conflict throught our sorrid history , i figure you deserve a little flack

i'd also like a little legislative backup, you know how the public is informed of sex offenders that take up residence in one's nieghborhhood ? well i would like notification of a Roman Catholic church's setting up shop anywhere near mine, thanks

~S~

 

[gradygirl]

i'd also like a little legislative backup, you know how the public is informed of sex offenders that take up residence in one's nieghborhhood ? well i would like notification of a Roman Catholic church's setting up shop anywhere near mine, thanks

I soooooooo agree with you. I'm an Episcopalian, so I've heard a lot of flack from people about our gay bishop. I just look at them and say, well, at least he's open about it. :glare:

 

[Ridryder911]

Please don't confuse religion with denomination ( i.e Muslim, Christian, Buddha versus Baptist, Catholic, etc..)

It amazes me what little training and education EMS provides responders on faith. Comparison to nursing, where many weeks, and in-depth studies. Faith, (no-matter what denomination, religion) is important part ot one beliefs system and as well as healing, psyche, and emotional lability.

We need to be aware not only of our patent's physical needs, but emotional needs as well.. remember the old saying...." You can't cure them, if they don't have faith or trust in you"....

R/r 911

 

[Stevo]

We need to be aware not only of our patent's physical needs, but emotional needs as well..

iirc, the word is reverent R/r 911, and you do have a good point when it comes to a patient (the whole patient that is) needs

i guess as long as whatever they wished for didn't interfere with what is typical patient care i'd play along, just leave out the funny hats

still, i can think of a number of stumbling blocks to this, for instance Christian Science or Scientology , possibly others as well, maybe some of you have had to deal with religous requests that sidetrack mainstream sop's ?

Please don't confuse religion with denomination

or simply religon with faith

i've always felt religon is man's interpetational snafu of the purity of faith

in fact , my fav bumper sticker is.......

GOD SAVE ME FROM YOUR FOLLOWERS

~S~

 

[Stevo]

here's an example of what i'm sure would be a hard call to mitigate....

A 2½-year-old boy becomes ill. His parents, David and Ginger Twitchell, do not seek traditional medical assistance. Instead, as members of the Christian Science Church, they rely on prayer and faith as their church teaches. Several times the child appears to get better, so the parents believe their prayers and the prayers of the Christian Science practitioner with whom they are consulting are working.

Robyn Twitchell dies on April 8, 1986, of peritonitis from a congenital bowel obstruction after five days of being ill. The parents are charged with involuntary manslaughter.

clicky

~S~