A former Mercy Hospital South nurse said she wants to speak for nurses everywhere. She said they shouldn't have to choose between their beliefs and making ends meet.
"I'm a nurse who was given many awards for my service to their hospital, and I feel devastated," said the woman, who asked to remain anonymous. "This doesn't have to do with my past, this doesn't have to do with nursing care, I was not fired, I was terminated, I was not accepted for my belief system."
After working at St. Anthony's Hospital for five years and at Mercy South for one, the nurse said her world came crashing down the Monday after Thanksgiving.
"After I received an award for service, I was handed my paper and my badge was taken and I left the building on the same day," she said.
She said it all started Nov. 1, when she filed for a religious exemption stating that her beliefs prevented her from getting a flu shot.
She said the hospital denied her claim within 24 hours. When she rebutted, they denied it again.
"You have no right to decide if my beliefs are valid or not," she said.
In a statement, Mercy said:
"The point of our flu vaccination policy is simple: protection against the flu virus saves lives, especially those of our most vulnerable patients."
When asked if she felt her decision would put her patients at risk, she responded by saying hygiene is crucial.
"The masks are what protects people, hand washing, hygiene, masks, it's all a package deal and when they come in they're protected from us by our use of hygiene."
A Mercy representative said the hospital received 170 medical and religious exemption requests this year. They said the majority of those have been approved, but would not give us an exact figure.
"They terminated a nurse that excelled, they denied my religious beliefs and, in turn, they lost a nurse that gave 100 percent every day."
The woman said she also presented to Mercy a letter from her pastor backing her claim.
She would not say if she received her flu shot in the past. Mercy said it will approve any "valid" medical or religious exemptions.
But the police said if you're denied and you don't get the shot you will be let go.
