Last Rights, Scapulars, and Nursing School

     

     The latest in my nursing school news.

     I started classes at the beginning of September. First was Anatomy and Physiology, which was done at the end of September. We then began Basic Nursing, part of which includes ethics, legal aspects and culture/religion.

     When we were on the subject of ethics, I brought up the question of refusing to do something that would violate one's conscience. Specifically, I wanted to know if there would be any legal repercussions if I, as a student nurse, refused to do something at a clinical. My specific example was birth control, the only pertinent one for the context.

     It boiled down to, no, nothing would happen if I was asked to do something that I wasn't comfortable doing (such as distribute birth control) and refused to do it. It is, of course, more than a matter of comfort, but I didn't press the issue; there was no need.

     Last week, we came to a topic I very much enjoy: cultural and spiritual aspects of patient care. I was happy to be able to supplement the information on Roman Catholics. To be fair, the information in the textbook is all correct or close enough. The instructor was reading out of the book and off some Power Points, and then I believe she mentioned something about her own experiences, and about dying patients who are Catholic will have the priest come and read them their Last Rights.

     I didn't say anything about the fact that it's rites not rights, I just explained that it's an anointing with oil on the forehead and hands, and possibly the eyes, ears, nose and feet as well. She was interested, and I guess had never been in the room when a priest had given someone the Last Rites.

     We moved on, and she read that NFP is the only acceptable form of birth control for Catholics (technically correct, not in the way "birth control" is usually meant, but I didn't see any point in equivocating). I was able to bring up the Church's stance on organ donation at one point, and to mention about emergency baptism. When we moved on to Mormons, the mention of "a sacred undergarment... that should only be removed in an emergency" made me think of the scapular, which I brought up a little later. I explained that it is very important to Catholics who wear them, especially when we're dying. My instructor said that it was good to know, and also, when I said, "Please don't make me take mine off if I'm dying", that if I fall out, "I'll tell them not take it off."

     Before the scapular conversation, however, we had a fire drill. We're all standing around in the parking lot when my instructor comes up and says, "So is that [the mention of NFP being the only acceptable birth control for Catholics] why you asked about birth control?" I said it was, and she said that she would let the clinical instructor know, so that I won't be put in any situations in which I would have to refuse to do something. She also asked something to the effect of if it was a personal conviction or because I'm Catholic, and I of course said that the Church is against the use and distribution of contraceptives. She said she would tell the clinical instructor.
   
   I don't know how to end this, so I suppose I'll just end with Deo Gratias for my instructor being open and willing to work with me, and with asking for your prayers; please commend me Our Lady, St. Camillus de Lellis and St. Raphael in particular.