Medical professional working on Shabbos
Question
Asking for my daughter. She lives in Orlando and recently became a RN. She was just hired in a mother-baby unit. She will be working night shifts (7;00 pm - 7:00 am) and must commit to one weekend night shift. Sheila: Is she allowed to work on Shabbos as my other daughter does who lives in Eretz Yisrael? Would the halacha be different outside of EY? If she can work on Shabbos, what are the constraints regarding getting to work, elevators, writing, etc?
Answer
Shalom!
Thank you for your question.
Working in a hospital on Shabbat, outside of Israel, in a non -Jewish hospital is very problematic for many reasons, far beyond the scope of this answer.
A doctor or nurse in such predicaments must do their best to get out of any Shabbat shifts.
In our experience, offering to work on Sundays and Christian and civil holidays will often be accepted as an alternative to Shabbat shifts so the non-Jews can enjoy these days as they observe them.
In the unlikely event that your daughter cannot get out of a Shabbat shift then only melachot/forbidden shabbat labors that are absolutely essential to her work may be performed.