Hospitals wanting to know your religion?

If you're in a hospital, in a coma or under anesthetic and need a blood transfusion, how would the doctor know whether your religion permits blood transfusions or not?

Tbh, asking what a persons religious beliefs are isn't really an intrusive question so why not just tell them. It could save your life, and their time!

And I agree with the above, it is your right to not answer the question but it may be in your best interest to answer it.

EDIT: I just read your thread in After Hours and even though AH doesn't usually take things too seriously, I think the first post sounded pretty genuine and non-sarcastic. And it tells you in a nutshell why you should state your religion and occupation.

everdead.ie wrote: »

Well I suppose it depends certain religions don't allow blood transfusions while certain occupations will have you exposed to different germs, toxins, pesticides etc.

certain occupations carry specific risks, it's purely for informative purposes to help narrow down a diagnosis and treatment possibilities in the case of any issues that may arise, they have all possible relevant info to hand.

Dovies wrote: »

You are perfectly within your rights not to answer the question - however you will be given last rights etc in the case of an emergency.

if i was conscious i'd object, but if i was unconscious and i died, it's not going to matter a whole lot either way.

well, unless there really is a heaven, in which case i just got a free pass, woohoo! :pac:

Both occupation and religion are relevant for both medical and statistical purposes.

If I know in advance that a woman is Muslim, as a male doctor I can presume that she's less likely to allow me to perform a gynaecological examination, for example (obviously I'd approach this sensitively regardless, but in my experience it's particularly sensitive for Muslims).

I'm not going to explain an illness the same way to my patient, who is a nurse, as I would to my patient who is a teacher. I'd use different language.

Unemployed people (for example) by and large, suffer from more health issues and have more problems accessing healthcare. This needs to be taken into account when assessing them and formulating a management plan.

These are just examples. I could go on. Job and religion (moreso job, to be honest, but religion also) frequently come into healthcare decisions and planning.

The statistics are needed because they are used in allocating hospital budgets, depending on the types of people being treated (i.e. a public hospital treating a large population of unemployed or low skilled workers in a deprived area needs more money than one in a settled, middle class area where everyone has insurance and half the people go to the local private hospital anyway). Statistics are vital in medicine: they are used for clinical audit and improving healthcare.

And yes, there's the last rites thing too.

If you say you've no religion, they'll send a priest around later to hassle you. At least, that's what happened to me :rolleyes:

I spend far too much time in hospitals, and just say "none" if they ask my religion. In a catholic hospital (I'm specifically thinking of the Bons Secours in Cork, about 15 years ago), they'll ask from time to time if you'd like communion, and if you say no they'll just pull your curtain across before the priest appears, so that he doesn't intrude.

Sometimes priests/nuns will stop by and ask if there's anything they can do for you, or if you'd like a blessing. Based on that I don't think they hand out the info to passing clergy. A "no, thank you" suffices, they've never tried to convert me.

Cabaal wrote: »

Was the priest just assuming or was he trying to convert you? :pac:

The usual, assumed I was catholic, asked if I wanted a blessing then proceeded to give me one* anyway after I said no.

At least he wasn't around the next day when I was told to try to go up and down the corridor on crutches for the first time. I was only wearing a pair of 'onion bag' hospital issue jocks and a gown split down the back :pac: couple of hours later I was issued a pair of PJs!


*no sniggering please

I used to be a student nurse in Dublin. They ask your religion not because its some covert operation to give the Catholics all the good fish fingers at lunch, but for really boring reasons.

If a Jew dies, you couldn't touch the body or there'd be massive panic in the family. As a nurse, you wouldn't want that. Handy also to know who's on Kosher or Halal diets. Some strict Muslims see pain relief/anaesthesia as food so to speak, so there procedures will be moved around accordingly during Ramadan. I remember in the Alzheimer's ward there was an auld Jewish lad, you couldn't wheel him down to mass on a Sunday! There's LOADS of reasons why they ask about your religion. Its not a big deal.

Czarcasm wrote: »

You sir, are a frickin' genius!


If only I'd known this when I was in the Cappagh having my hip done, I was coming out of the bathroom after my shower when the towel I was wearing got caught in the door, and I was holding myself up on my zimmer frame, when just then, the gay tennis coach came wheeling round the corner, his eyes lit up like spotlights as I whimpered "Help, nuuurse!"

We ladies have all the best ideas.
There are many other secret hospital tricks, like getting your friends to buy small bottles of water, empty a small bit out, then freeze them on their sides and bring them into you (glorious cold water, as opposed to room temperature yuck).
If you're not fasting, and there's no other reason not to be sticking to hospital food, talk to the night duty nurses and they'll clue you in on how to get Chinese delivered to the day room.
If you're brought into hospital unexpectedly, ask the first person you call to make sure you get a toothbrush AND toothpaste (everything feels less hopeless after you've brushed your teeth).
If you're bedbound, ask if you can have a kidney dish for brushing your teeth.
If you're feeling nauseated, many hospitals have special bags with a solid ring opening - no splatter, and you can seal them off easily.