The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay
The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay
Spirituality is a delicate topic, and some may not be open to talking about their beliefs. Spirituality is generally understood to be an essential aspect of being human (Lyndo-Lam, 2012). Assessing the spiritual needs of patients is a key component in the nursing process. A compassionate and thoughtful nurse can make a patient feel more secure, making it easier for him to express his spirituality. The participation of both patient and health care provider is vital in promoting spiritual health. The main focus of a spiritual assessment is to gather information regarding the patient’s spiritual needs in order incorporate them into the plan of care, so as to treat the patients as a whole. The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay
In this essay, I shall summarize the patient findings based on a spiritual assessment tool, describe significant discoveries about the person interviewed, analyze the interview, point out barriers and challenges, and describe my personal spiritual experience and the importance of this tool to better meet the needs of my patients.
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Assessment Findings
Mr. Ferrell is a 56-year-old man; he is married and has a son and a daughter. He is retired due to medical issues, but tries to stay active at home. Patient has both diabetes and hypertension, which are the cause of his renal failure. Mr. Ferrell said, “Faith is what keeps me going” (Ferrel, 2013). Religion plays an important role in this family, but it grew with the onset of his disease. He usually wakes up thanking God for another day of life and prays every night before going to sleep; as a Catholic he tries to go to church on a regular basis, which is every Sunday. When things seem to be difficult, he turns to his faith and spiritual beliefs as a coping mechanism. The patient mentioned that he and his family are very involved with church and their community as a way to thank God for all He does for them. The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay
Discoveries
Faith is what guides his life, followed by family. God and the support of his family give him the strength and hope to stay strong in difficult times. Patient strongly believes that faith plays an important part in his health, but he knows that he could also do much more for himself in order to improve his health. Mr. Ferrell quotes, “I can’t expect God to help me if I don’t help myself” (Ferrel, 2013). Praying and honoring God does fullfil his spiritual needs but it does not magically improve his health. He mentioned that his weakness is food and as a result he struggles with his diabetic and renal diets; eating healthier could improve the patient’s health.
Mr. Ferrell believes and knows that he needs to treat his body better as God has been so merciful with him and considers his eating habits a sin. As a retired man, he finds time to do many Church activities that benefit both the community and himself. He likes doing community services as it helps release some stress caused by his illness. Being involved in Church has taken him to Jerusalem, which to him was the most wonderful experience. Traveling has played an important role for him but cannot do so often due to his dependency of a machine to clean his blood. The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay
What went well
The patient was able to express himself openly; no questions were skipped or left blank. Explaining the reason and the importance of performing this spiritual assessment helped build rapport and trust with the patient easily. Also, getting some insight into his spiritual needs made the connection between nurse and patient stronger.
What would you do differently in the future?
Performing a spiritual assessment can be difficult, as one may have the tendency to judge or have an opinion about things. When performing questionnaire or assessments, it is important to listen without judging or questioning patient, as it may cause the patient to feel uncomfortable. Performing a spiritual assessment in a very private area would also improve the ability to develop rapport and gather information, since this topic is very delicate and personal.
Barriers/challenges
The interview went remarkably well and I was able to create rapport and trust very quickly; the only impediment was having the patient’s wife present at the time of the assessment. The wife stayed per patient’s request, but it seemed that the patient was not openly answering my questions unless the wife approved the questions and responses. It seemed to me that the wife was very influential in the patient’s answers and would interrupt too much and too often. This was both a barrier and a challenge, as it caused some frustration on my end. It is very important to be able to come in into a room and ask the patient’s family–in a kind way–to step out of the room for a few minutes. Family can influence a patient’s answers and/or may inhibit the patient to answer as openly as they would if they were alone. The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay
Learning/improvement
One can learn so much from others, but it’s a matter of being willing and open to new ideas. With this type of assessment, I was able to get an insight in regards to the patient’s religion, along with his culture, values, and beliefs. Additionally, it helped recognize the appropriate spiritual intervention for the treatment of this patient. The entire process of preparing and assessing a person’s spirituality provided me with a more open mind towards other people’s beliefs, religions, values, and ideas.
I realize it is important to know and recognize that religion plays a vital role in the life of every individual and making it part of the patient’s plan of care can only lead to the improvement of patients outcomes. Spirituality is a foundation of strength, guidance and assurance (Lyndo, 2012). Many may even say that spirituality helps in making choices. Though spiritual care may require openly talking about spirituality, caring for someone’s spiritual needs requires an understanding of them. Ultimately, the objective of a spiritual assessment is to get the patient to share this feature of their health (Lyndo, 2012).
Reference
Ferrel, F. (2013, JANUARY 13). Interview by P.E. Velasco [Personal Interview]. Spiritual assessment., El Centro, CA. Lydon-Lam, J. (2012). Models of Spirituality and Consideration of Spiritual Assessment. International Journal Of Childbirth Education, 27(1), 18-22.
Nurses and all other healthcare workers come in contact with people of different faiths and religion on a daily bases. In the hospital, it is very critical to encourage religions participation when it is needed. This article points out the authors and Christians perspective in comparison to the Buddhism, Muslim, and Hindu faith approaches to healing. Cultural and spiritual diversity must be allowed in the hospitals as well as health care environments in order to provide complete healing. The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay
Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Spirituality is piece of human existence that is hard to assimilate.
Every individual welcomes spirituality differently based on their set of values and experiences. Spirituality is multidimensional and we have proof of its benefits in healthcare and healings. Each person gets their spiritual experience and beliefs from their relationships with the family, the individual and their faith exposure (Anandarajah & Hight, 2001). The intent of this paper is to recorgnize the Author’s spirituality inclination with regards to healing and its important parts.
I will first present my Christian viewpoint and method to healing, then the Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim faiths viewpoints will be compared to the Christians approach to healing. In the conclusion, I will summarize my findings from the comparison of these religions and concepts, then apply them this writer’s health care practice. Author’s Spiritual Perspective on Healing The essentials of this writer’s viewpoint on healing is rooted on her faith and trust in God. She understands the fine line you have to walk when looking for health suggestions as a result of sickness. The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay
Her faith led her to believe that God is the ultimate healer of any sickness. The Bible points out sufficient proof that is the ultimate healer of any sickness and the lack of faith is seen as a road block. This is very well illustrated in the story of Asa. She was infected by a disease in his leg. According to the Bible, we were told that although, her sickness was very serious she did not go to God for healing, but instead went to the doctors for help. Second Chronicles 16:12 (NIV) tells us that he died of her sickness. The author is a firm believer of the power of prayers and asking others to pray for you or with you.
Every Christian believes in The Holy Spirit and has Him in their hearts, as He prays for us “in accordance with God’s will” Romans 8:26-27 (NIV), we should pray for one another. This is what God wants us to do. “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you” First Samuel 12:23(NIV). Christian Perspective and Approach to Healing Christians are firm believers that God can heal everybody at any moment in time. Jesus performed many healings here on earth. He used this to prove to all mankind that he is the son of God.
Jesus cured so many diseases and sicknesses Matthew 9:35 (NIV). He cured many diseases just by speaking to the people Matthew 8:8(NIV), a woman touched His cloak and she was cured of her bleeding, instantly Mark 5:28(NIV). God can heal people in so many ways. This is the believe of many Christians. Believers are told for pray for God’s healing, however, they are not promised the answer to the prayers or in what form the answers will come. People still visit their Doctors to cure their diseases, but a combination of Doctor’s visits and prayers are usually recommended. The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay
The strong faith that Christians have in God’s dominion makes them to believe that God is in charge of all circumstances. The members of the church community receive support from their members through prayer. The church as a family unit gives solid encouragement to its members by providing good support for healing. The bible is God’s words to us and it provides encouragement and understanding through His word. Comparing a Buddhist Approach to Healing As a young boy, Buddha studied the science of medicine. He acquired a good knowledge and types and healing of diseases.
He has the believe of life after death and rebirth and the aging process. His understanding of illness and dying allowed him to lead people and educate them about living a healthy life cycle (Bhikshu, n. d. ). Christians have a different view of this. Christians believed that every human being has a soul but Buddhist don’t share this same view. Buddha teaches logical everyday instructions for handling any physical injury and psychological sickness but Christians view is on trust in God’s will and to be merciful to them. Buddhists faith is focused on cause and effect as opposed to the faith that Christians put in Jesus’ healing power.
Both faiths approach health and healing from a spiritual practice. Christianity and Buddhism beliefs in health and healing are the same but they differ with the goals. The Buddhists view of spirituality is to build and have a caring mind set towards those that are suffering as result of illness. But Christians focus in God’s mercies to healing them and accepting the will of God. There are leader in the church and temple that can be invited to help them (Bhikshu). Buddhist chant when they pray. And just like Christians, families are asked to join them in prayer in other to achieve their goal. The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay
In both religions, the patients concern is to eliminate pain and suffering. The will rather do it without pharmacological treatments. This is to give them a clear mind. Buddhism patients benefit from peace and quietness for the purpose of meditation (Ehman, 2007). Neither faiths teach to fear death, but in the Buddhist faith the rituals done to the body right before and after death are extremely crucial to the next cycle of life for the body while the Christian faith hold to the faith the soul has gone to heaven and that it is just the physical body that is left.
Comparing a Muslim Approach to Healing The Qur’an together with the prophet Muhammad, is similar to the Christian Bible and Jesus. They are both full of citations to the use of reason in all aspects of human life including healing practices. Muslims and Christians both are of the believe that Allah nor God created diseases. Muslims are certain that Allah created the treatment to the illnesses. They also believe that praying and supplication, recitation of the Qur’an and accepting Allah, is significant in the healing process. They also accept the importance of modern medicine.
It is like like the Christian believe in accepting God and the power of prayers in the healing process (Yousif, n. d. ). The Muslims explanation of illness is that diseases can be a form of knowledge by which man attains personal experience with Allah. Both Christianity and Islam (Muslim) accept the fact that life and death comes from God and that its beyond human control. (Yousif,n. d. ) Both religions value the importance of prayers, but the Muslim faith enforces the amount and your position while you say your prayers. A Muslim patient will become upset if they are not able to participate in their daily prayers.
When this happens, their clergy should be made aware of it as soon as possible. A Muslim patient has higher tolerance for pain because complaining is viewed as a sign of weakness. Muslims have stricter food and hygiene requirements because of their religion compared to most Christians. Majority of Muslims practice vegetarian diets and it is their belief that running water is necessary to be completely cleaned. Both Christians and Muslims values family importance but at death someone in the family must whisper declaration of faith to the dead.
Christians are not required to fast at any given time but for Muslims, it’s a must during the Ramadan. (Ehman, 2007). Comparing a Hindu Approach to Healing Hinduism is a very complex belief system. It is not just religion but a way of life like their Christian counterpart. The name “Hinduism” comes from the word “India” and points to so many religious practices and viewpoints that have been in existence in India more than a thousand years ago. Hindu encourages the worship of so many Gods, believe in reincarnation, value the tradition of meditation.The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay
They family unit and the power of prayer are valuable in the healing process. Christians accept God’s will, but Karma in Hindu gives an explanation to what happened (Sukumaran, n. d. ). Modesty is expected from the opposite sex care giver, their diet of choice is vegetarian, fast is very frequent. Hindus have a great respect for medical professionals, but many are quite wary of drugs and pills. If drugs are given, try to explain what it is for and what the effects are. Natural and homeopathic medicine is preferred over drugs and surgery in most cases. Conclusion
Religious diversity is more prominent than ever before in the United States hospitals. This author appreciates both the similarities and differences presented in comparing Christianity’s’ perspective to healing and those of the Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu faiths. Prayer, clergy, family, and reflection seem to be the common thread throughout all of these faiths. The view of the body, death, and life cycles seem to show the most differences. This writer and caregiver was enlightened to respect and enhance peaceful environments for meditation and reflection and promote family involvement whenever possible for all patients. The Role of Spirituality in Health Care Essay