New Health Worker Rules

by Juan Viejo2 3 Replies latest watchtower medical

• 

  Juan Viejo2

  The Obama administration on Friday (2/18/2011) eliminated key provisions of a George W. Bush-era rule that allowed health workers to opt out of medical services they find objectionable on religious or personal grounds. The rule was widely interpreted as allowing workers to refuse to participate in a range of services, including providing the emergency contraceptive Plan B and treating gays and lesbians.
  
  The new rule leaves intact previously established "conscience protections" for workers who do not want to perform abortions or sterilizations. It also retains the Bush rule's formal process for allowing workers whose rights are violated to file complaints.
  
  
  http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/PSLW3N/LQRYIM/7W9QMC/ZYE3Q0/M0MSX/RF/h

  I wonder how this will apply to JWs who are nurses and doctors and have to participate in operations where blood transfusions are necessary.
• 

  NewChapter

  I wonder how this will apply to JWs who are nurses and doctors and have to participate in operations where blood transfusions are necessary.

  I never understood why they would take a job, where the JOB, violates their conscience. I never understood the difference between simply caring for someone being given a blood transfusion, and actually putting the iv in. Would someone that was against abortion work with a doctor who offers genetic counseling that could actually lead to abortion? Would someone that was against birth control work with a gynecologist whose job it is to provide birth control? JW's don't belong in the operating room! Perhaps they should work in a clinic or a nursing home. The difference with other conscience matters is they don't involve life threatening emergencies. People can wait a little while for abortions or birth control, not so with blood transfusion. JW's should not be cluttering up trauma units. They are only in the way.

  I am surprised to read that some people object to treating homosexuals. That doesn't single out an actual service but targets a person. Are you sure they were allowed to do that? Cuz, then a case could be made that you don't want to treat: prostitutes, pimps, drug dealers, motorcyclists, abortion providers that got shot at their clinics, gang members, wife beaters, rapists, murderers, child molestors... I didn't think health care workers were free to choose WHO they treated. Still, more disturbing things have happened.
• 

  Lunatic Faith

  I have a friend who is married to an elder and is a nurse. She doesn't have to be in the surgery room as she is not that kind of nurse, but whenever anyone receives blood more than one health care practitioner is in the room for the IV process. So, she sets up the IV and allows the other person in the room to do the actual connection. Her conscience allowed that and it seems to have worked as she has been a nurse for over a decade.
• 

  leavingwt

  bttt