More handpicked essays just for you.
Religious considerations in health care
Ethical dilemma in religion and medicine
Religious considerations in health care
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
In the early 1970’s, Betty Neuman created a holistically based, open-system theory to aid nurses in organizing the voluminous information needed to deal with complex client situations (Meleis, 2007, p.307). One component of the Neuman Systems Model is spirituality, which is described as being related to beliefs and influences that are spiritual. It should be noted that this was absent in her initial conceptualization and was developed later (Meleis, 2007, p.307). While utilizing the Neuman framework for client assessment, religion is often applied as a spiritual factor. Using this theory as basis one might conclude that religion and spirituality are synonymous in concept. This begs the question: Are they, in fact, equal in meaning or at the very least required of each other for synergistic forward movement? I am not certain that the answer is clear-cut and I believe that personal observations will allow for objective thought for argument – pro or con.
In order to develop my personal philosophy of the relationship between religion and spirituality I had to do some research. I found that there are many definitions, often in direct contradiction of each other. In studying concepts of spirituality, one observation that I found intriguing was offered by Rabbi Adat Shalom (2011) who states, “…spirituality, which takes it’s character from individuality.” In 1997, Dr. John K Testerman, an Associate Professor for the Department of Family Medicine at Loma Linda University School of Medicine presented his thoughts on the subject, stating:
The most fundamental concept of spirituality is that there is a transcendent dimension to life, something or someone beyond our own ego and sense of experience. The experience of connection ...
... middle of paper ...
...nse of connection with someone or something outside of themselves is a relatively new concept to me. This will have an impact on my considerations for holistic patient care in the future.
Works Cited
Meleis, A. I. (2007). Theoretical nursing: Development and progress (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Rex Smith, A. (2009). Nursing and spirituality: What happened to religion. Journal of Christian Nursing, 26(4), 216-222. doi:10.1097/01.CNJ0000361243.35944.69
Shalom, A., & Perlo, S. (2011, February). Spirituality and religion are not mutually exclusive. Retrieved May 21, 2011, from http://huffingtonpost.com/scott-perlo/much-to-americas-surprise_b_824824.html?view=screen
Testerman, J. K. (1997, June). Spirituality vs religion: Implications for healthcare. Retrieved May 22, 2011, from http://www.aiias.edu/ict/vol_19.19cc_283-297.pdf
There are many different types of spirituality such as believing in oneself, transcendent forces, or other people. Many authors define spirituality differently, according to Merriam-Webster Online dictionary(2013) spirituality is defined as the quality or state of being concerned with religion or the quality or state of being spiritual. As nurses, we know that spirituality and religion are not the same and one can be spiritual without being religious. When we encounter clients who have borderline personaliti...
Weaver, Andrew J. and Kevin J. Flannelly. “The Role of Religion/Spirituality for Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers.” Southern Medical Journal 97 (December 2004): pp. 97-98. 1210-1214. Spiegel, David. The 'Standard'.
Spirituality hasn’t played an important role in my life thus far, as my initial understanding of the concept has always been related to religion. Growing up, my mother’s sides of the family were firm believers in god, and Christianity. Neither my mother, nor my father ever included religion into their lives, or mine. In fact, religion created a barrier within our family dynamics for as long as I can remember. My aunt was married to a priest and during our family dinners he would pull me aside to read bible versus. My parents were not happy once they realized that my uncle was doing this with me behind their backs. This marked the beginning of divergence between my mother and aunt’s side of the family. It wasn’t until my grandparents passed
Throughout history, it seems that medicine and spirituality have been linked in many circumstances. In a study looking at the use of complementary and alternative therapies in cardiac patients, spiritual healing was one of many practices patient sought to utilize. In another study, 29% of participants chose to use prayer or premeditation as a way to cope with their chronic illness. In both studies, prayer or meditation was more likely to be used by individuals who had a large social network, as well as support from another person in the same health situation. Based on these studies, it seems that many individuals (not just cardiovascular patients) turn to their spirituality in times of health distress.
I am grateful to be at an institution of higher learning that understands and respects faith. My philosophy of nursing cannot be explained without God and Jesus. They are a part of each one of us. The reason that someone goes into a healthcare professional is usually to favorably treat a patient’s health. Spirituality of mind and body cannot be separated completely in my nursing philosophy. In this vein, nursing cannot be wholly separated from faith.
Religion is a significant aspect of culture that must be understood and respected. Through understanding the differences in peoples cultures, a nurse who is tending to a patient who’s beliefs differ from his or her own can appropriately adjust care to respect the patient’s beliefs and
McEwen, M., & Wills, E. (2011). Theoretical Basis for Nursing (3 ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
There is evidence suggesting that attention to one’s spirituality influences the ability to cope with illness, help in the prevention of illn...
In healthcare organizations, medical staff must conform to their hospital and their country’s code of conduct. Not only do they have to meet set standards, they must also take their patient into consideration. When making a decision upon a patient, medical staff must recognize religious backgrounds and spiritual beliefs. By understanding a patients’ beliefs and their belief system, a medical worker can give the patient their deserved medical assistance without overstepping boundaries or coming off as offensive. The practices and beliefs of four religions will be articulated throughout this essay to fully understand how religion can either help or hinder the healing process.
Spiritualism is the system of religious beliefs centered on the presumption that communication with the dead, or spirits, is possible (Grolier '97). Spiritualism challenged dominant cultural beliefs of the 19th century (Paul) and is still in practice today.
84% of the people on earth claim to be religious.(2) One third of the world claims to be Christians, 1.6 billion people in the world claim to be Islamic, (3) and one out of five people in the world claim to be spiritual but not religious. (1) Spirituality and religion are often thought to be synonymous, but it’s important to understand the differences between the two. The two have been around for ages, but even though they contrast; they are not the same. One could be described as an outer look on acts and laws, the other more as an internal look of oneself.
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.” According to Buddha, everyone needs some form of spirituality to define his or her life and existence. Webster Dictionary defines spiritualism as “a system of beliefs or religious practices based on supposed communication with the spirits of the dead, often times through mediums.” Though this is one general definition of spiritualism, this concept is one that does not hold a conclusive meaning. Each and every single person has the ability and right to create and practice their own idea of spiritualism. From ancient times to present day, the term and practice of spirituality has transformed, particularly from region to region. Despite the discrepancies in practices and overall understanding of this idea, spirituality has had an effect and impact upon all of humanity since the creation of time. This religion that is believed to have been established in the early eighteen hundreds, after two little girls claimed to have the ability to talk to spirits, sparked interest in this spiritual movement, allowing it to spread rather rapidly over many geographical locations. Aside from being recognized as a religion, spiritualism is also believed to be a form of philosophy and a science in which spiritualists believe that there is life after death and try to demonstrate this through the ability of attempting to communicate with those that have passed on. Spiritualism was socially different from other religions in existence at the time because it presented followers with a more tolerant belief system that assimilated the principles and facts from a selection the world's religions. Spiritualism also made it acceptable for women to play a disti...
Spirituality has become a title of a section within the public library, but without God at the center of a spiritual experience, it is counter to life in the Spirit. True Spirituality has to do with recognizing our soul and spirit, and who it is in relation to God. Though physical attributes may result from this inner union with the Holy Spirit, the nature of what is seen will be an effect of that which is not seen.
Spirituality can have many different definitions, depending on who is asked. It can be something as simple as looking for a higher meaning to life, or something so complex that one can base their beliefs, religion and overall life around it. There are several different ways to express one's spirituality; rituals, songs, dances, stories, and writings are all common methods of expression.
Ganga and Kutty stated (2013) spirituality refers to a path of life that enables people to seek reason of their existence and helps people explore challenges. Ganga and Kutty (2013) conducted a study on adults to see if spirituality had positive effects on their life, meaning did their life have purpose or value. Each participant partook in a study that asked questions about their life and purpose. The study consisted of a daily spiritual experience scale, it was a point scale that consist of 16 items to be rated on a 6-point scale. The results concluded that spirituality has positive effects on their life when seeking their purpose. Each participant felt that he/she had a purpose and that their life was valuable and meaningful (Ganga and Kutty, 2013). According to Ganga and Kutty (2013), spirituality is a way for people to discover the meaning of their life. Spirituality is a personal adventure to understand answers to the questions they seek to find about their spirituality and purpose in life. It says spirituality is a set of beliefs and practices that concludes with life changing paths that make a person’s life meaningful. Spirituality has been viewed as an important factor when realizing the purpose of life. Ganga and Kutty (2013) expressed spirituality enhances our emotions, thoughts, beliefs, relieves stress and it finds meaning and purpose of one’s life. I believe