My hardworking wife, Jennifer, has finished 99.9% of her course work at UPMC Shadyside. December 14th is graduation from nursing school. I couldn't be more proud of her especially since she is near the top of her class at every evaluation she takes. She is now starting her transition period which is like "student teaching" in the educational field.
Jennifer is assigned a preceptor "mentor" during this time of transition. She shadows this mentor during the entire period of transition. The mentor works this Saturday and Sunday. She works 7 a.m. -7 p.m.
Jennifer does not have to work the entire work week with the mentor. All she needs to do is work 24 hours a week. When Jennifer found out she had to work Sunday, she went to the instructor and asked if she could come in at noon and then work to 7 p.m. fulfilling her time requirement. When the mentor asked why she couldn't be in at 7 a.m. Jennifer replied, "I have church." The instructor then replied in a demeaning tone, "Nurses are 24/7." The instructor wouldn't budge. The instructor will not let Jennifer come in mid-way and finish out her hours for the week. Jennifer is frustrated. Has anyone out there faced this, and if so, what did you do?
6 comments:
Wow.
Tough one, brother. Thanks for sharing the situation with us.
I have never faced this kind of thing personally, but have certainly had many conversations with people who have.
I wonder if it comes down to this question: Is this a "cross carrying" moment--a moment in which a Christ-follower must sacrifice his or her vocational standing for the sake of discipleship? Or, is this a situation in which some temporary compromise can be achieved--a compromise that honors Jennifer's commitment to the discipline of corporate worship while also protecting her vocational standing?
For example, I don't know what Baldwin UMC offers this way, but I know that Christ Church Bethel Park offers a midweek service of Healing and Holy Communion (and a midweek Taize service once a month). Perhaps that service becomes your family's primary worship service during the weeks that Jennifer is working on the weekend. Or perhaps there is another midweek service near you that would offer a similar opportunity.
Or, perhaps this is an opportunity for a small group of believers at Baldwin UMC to support Jennifer (and you) by gathering with both of you at some point in the week to sing some hymns and songs of faith, to pray, to open the Scripture, and to share the bread and cup of Eucharist. Again, this would provide Jennifer with the opportunity to practice the discipline of corporate worship even when her work occupies the better portion of her weekend.
If I have overstepped the bounds of our blog conversation, my friend, please forgive me. I am simply sharing a couple of thoughts that come to mind.
I am inspired by the seriousness with which you and Jennifer treat the worship of God. Blessings upon both of you as you find your way through these challenging days.
Jeff -
I deal with this all the time working with youth. Sunday is no longer a sacred day, at least at the high schools around here. It's not uncommon for coaches to have Sunday morning practices, or for extra-curricular activities to now have meetings on Sunday nights during youth group time.
Unfortunately, I think the church is going to have to deal with the fact that "Sabbath on Sunday" may no longer be a cultural reality in the USA. The question we need to grapple with is, how do we instill into the people the theological and spiritual reality of Sabbath when the cultural reality is no longer there? Are there other ways that we can model the importance of "sacred time"?
That said, I do agree that the mentor's response to your wife's honest request was demeaning. And that is certainly not unusual in the working world: show your Christian colors, and you'll most likely get negative treatment at some point. Tell your wife to keep her chin up!
Jeff
Although I am saddened by the response of the mentor, I guess we do have to look for other opportunities to keep sabbath. I agree that it might be an opportunity for you to honor sabbath as a family in other ways - because we all know that pastor's don't keep sabbath on Sunday anyway.
Thank you brothers for your comments. All very true and thought provoking. I appreciate your concern for this and your thought into your comments. That is why I posted the blog, to hear from this community. Bless you all.
This is a great blog!! I did not know you could do that!!
Love you,
You sister Jamie
Jeff...my wife works in a hospital and has frequently had to work Sundays. Her approach has always been to view her work as a calling from God and view the sacrifices she has had to make as that which keeps her faithful to her calling.
That being said...when dealing with the idea of vocation, we must ask ourselves: Do we do what we do for God or for the work itself? Sometimes the Christian lawyer will have to work Sunday for a case on Monday. Sometimes the Christian doctor must perform surgery. Sometimes the Christian accountant must miss church to finish an audit.
Is our work a covenant that stems from our covenant with Jesus Christ? Do we view it as sacred? I think that when we seek to honor God with what we do, we are in a sense worshiping. It doesn't always have to happen within the walls of the church.
I think the supervisor is wrong for not compromising. Nursing may also be 24/7 but my wife's work has involved many shift trades and on call nights for other workers who needed the day off.
Sorry she has to deal with this!
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