Chaplain Connie Regener on keeping nursing staff in the know

Honoring Religious Holidays

During certain times of the year, I issue memos to the staff of my hospital about upcoming cultural and religious holidays. I call them “nursing awarenesses” and make sure they include things a nurse or caregiver would need to know. This makes them practical and not purely academic. They have been wonderfully received. Here are three examples.

At Ramadan I clarify the exact dates, as this holiday moves from year to year. I give the number of the New Year and the traditional greeting, which is “Ramadan Mubarak.” I explain that Muslim tradition commands a fast during the daylight hours, and that includes water. The fast is traditionally broken with water/tea and a date, and a meal follows. I include that those who are sick, nursing mothers, and children are excluded from the requirements of the fast.

I also visit each patient who is admitted to the hospital during Ramadan to determine any religious needs, such as supplying a prayer rug or Muslim prayer beads. Next year the dietary department will be ordering dates.

At the Jewish New Year I also clarify the exact dates, as this holiday also moves from year to year. I give the number of the New Year (the most recent one was 5768) and the common greeting, “L’shanah Tovah.” I suggest that since God records the fate of humankind in the Book of Life during this week, indicating who will live and who will die during the coming year, it would be good for the staff to wish them well: “May your name be well inscribed.”

I also explain that on Yom Kippur, the solemn Day of Atonement, there are five prohibitions during the twenty-four hour period from sundown to sundown:

• No eating or drinking.
• No anointing with perfumes or lotions.
o No marital relations.
• No washing.
• No leather shoes can be worn.

In addition, I note that rabbis insist that those who are ill should not fast because health is paramount and takes precedence over any religious obligation. I have a letter from a local rabbi confirming this should one of the patients want “proof.” I also suggest that patients who wish to keep the spirit of the fast consider minimal food intake.

I visit Jewish patients to ascertain any needs for religious practices, such as using battery-powered candles in stead of burning candles at sundown on the Sabbath, and I then report back to the staff. The dietary department provides apples and honey for patients who may have these foods. This is a traditional way of welcoming the New Year.

At Diwali I give the dates of the five-day celebration, and note that the third day is the most important day. The traditional greeting is “Happy Diwali” or “Joyous and Prosperous Diwali.” I mention that this holiday marks the end of harvest and the beginning of the New Year, and has many elements in common with other New Year celebrations, including fireworks displays, meals with friends and family, exchange of gifts, reflection on past achievements, and hopes for the future. Nursing awarenesses include:

• Suggesting that battery-powered candles be used instead of the traditional oil lights.
• Monitoring traditional home-cooked foods being brought to patients, with respect to hospital policy.
• Reminding patients that feeling sad about being hospitalized during this time is normal.

I also mention that the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a resolution recognizing Diwali as a Hindu, Sikh, and Jain holiday. I include a picture of the “Diwali Barbie” doll, which indicates mainstream acceptance of the holiday.

I consult with any staff members on specific patient issues. I also offer to share my religious census, in case any of the unit managers want to know which patients are celebrating which holidays.

The results have been extensive and far-reaching:

• Many of the nursing managers express relief that they are finally receiving definitive holiday dates.
• Several nurses approach me to practice saying the unfamiliar greetings.
• The memos give the chaplains credibility as much-needed resources for staff and to aid with sometimes unfamiliar situations.
• There is now an atmosphere of acceptance, where staff, too, feel free to express their values and practices.
• The patients express pleasure that the staff is aware of their religious holidays.

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