[ANSWERED] What is your definition of spiritual care? How does it differ or accord with the description given in the topic readings? Explain.
Expert Answer and Explanation
Definition of Spiritual Care
As a nurse, it is essential to provide holistic care to patients by providing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. While physical and emotional needs appear to be direct, spiritual needs are complicated. In my opinion, spiritual care involves acknowledging that the patient believes in a higher power and supporting them in whatever way necessary to connect with it. In many cases, patients might not understand the reason for their suffering and therefore turn to spiritual assurance.
A patient can deal with illness, pain, grief, and even loss through spirituality with a more positive attitude (Koper et al. 2019). While the nurse’s role should be to care for the patient physically and ensure that they are in the right state of mind, they should help the patient understand their spirituality. Nurses should seek the patients” understanding of spirituality and explain how they can incorporate it into their healing, hence making them understand their situation even better.
The topic readings define spiritual care as the support that nurses offer patients coping with illnesses or pain to make the patient heal physically or emotionally (Hvidt et al. 2020). Through the definition, it is clear that spiritual care is important but it is mostly overlooked. The lack of standard measurement to determine the care also hinders spiritual development (Rachel et al. 2019).
The definition explains that nurses can offer support by giving the patients time to pray or quiet when families are interreacting spiritually. While my definition and the topic reading definitions are similar, I believe that my definition does not differ from the topic readings definition. However, each definition allows for a deeper connection between patients and the nurses, increasing the patient’s trust and improving patients’ outcomes. Therefore, when implemented well, either definition will play an essential role in providing holistic care to the patients.
References
Hvidt, N. C., Nielsen, K. T., Kørup, A. K., Prinds, C., Hansen, D. G., Viftrup, D. T., … & Wæhrens, E. E. (2020). What is spiritual care? Professional perspectives on the concept of spiritual care identified through group concept mapping. BMJ open, 10(12), e042142.
Koper, I., Pasman, H. R. W., Schweitzer, B. P., Kuin, A., & Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B. D. (2019). Spiritual care at the end of life in the primary care setting: experiences from spiritual caregivers-a mixed methods study. BMC palliative care, 18(1), 1-10.
Rachel, H., Chiara, C., Robert, K., & Francesco, S. (2019). Spiritual care in nursing: an overview of the measures used to assess spiritual care provision and related factors amongst nurses. Acta Bio Medica: Atenei Parmensis, 90(Suppl 4), 44.
Alternative Expert Answer
Definition and Analysis of Spiritual Care
Patients from diverse background see providers expecting to benefit from the care which the latter provides. Some of these patients tend to have spiritual needs, and a provider has a mandate of meeting these needs. The concept, spiritual care, denotes the idea of full filling these kinds of needs. The beneficiaries of this kind of care is not limited to patients considering that patients’ families can equally benefit from it.
This means that spiritual care involves attending to a sick person’s spiritual needs with focus on helping the person deal effectively with their experiences. People receive this kind of care so that they can emotionally recover, and the care can limit the severity of a physiological condition, and encourage the healing of the patient given that it helps reduce stress (Fitch & Bartlett, 2019). When a spiritual person receives this kind of care, they gain the hope of recovering, and this ultimately hasten their recovery.
The perspective of the spiritual care resonates with the description of the same concept based on the topic readings. Just like in the readings, my own definition of the concept links care to various benefits. A key theme which seems to manifest when comparing my description of the spiritual care and that in the readings, for instance, is helping one to cope with an illness.
As they go through their physiological experience, and as they receive spiritual care, a patient becomes hopeful that they would heal. Another shared feature when relating the readings’ view on the concept, and that based on my personal view, is the emotional wellbeing that results when one receives spiritual care. People essentially become emotionally well when they receive spiritual care (Melhem et al., 2016).
References
Fitch, M. I., & Bartlett, R. (2019). Patient Perspectives about Spirituality and Spiritual Care. Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursing, 6(2), 111–121.Doi: https://doi.org/10.4103/apjon.apjon_62_18.
Melhem, G. A., Zeilani, R. S., Zaqqout, O. A., Aljwad, A. I., Shawagfeh, M. Q., & Al-Rahim, M. A. (2016). Nurses’ Perceptions of Spirituality and Spiritual Care Giving: A Comparison Study Among All Health Care Sectors in Jordan. Indian journal of palliative care, 22(1), 42–49.Doi: https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-1075.173949.
DQ 2
When it comes to facilitating spiritual care for patients with worldviews different from your own, what are your strengths and weaknesses? If you were the patient, who would have the final say in terms of ethical decision-making and intervention in the event of a difficult situation?
Expert Answer and Explanation
Spiritual Care for Patients with Different Worldviews
As a nurse, one meets different patients, some with varying perspectives on spirituality. However, it is essential to ensure that one does not experience any biases in taking care of the patients as it is their role to provide equal care (Alshehry, 2018). However, it is almost impossible to provide biased spiritual care when a patient has varying views. For instance, a nurse can be deeply religious while the patient is an atheist (Saad & de Medeiros, 2021).
In my case, I have several strengths that guide me when dealing with patients with different worldviews. One of my strengths is that I am accommodating and non-judgments. Instead of judging a patient because of their religious stand, I seek to understand more from them. As a result, they open up more on their spirituality and how it relates to their wellbeing. Another strength is that I love learning about different religions, and when I encounter a different patient, I perceive it as an opportunity to understand more cultures and their way of life.
However, my main weakness is that I might become too personal with the patient as I seek to understand their religion, blurring professional conduct lines.
If I were a patient, I would like to have the final say in ethical decision-making during an intervention. While I trust the professionalism of the caregivers, their ethical values might get in the way. Moreover, some of the practitioners might fail to relate to my values, making it hard for them to understand my stance (Isaac et al. 2016). Additionally, assuming that I will be adequately informed about my condition, I believe I will have the power to make my own decisions, and this way, I will be satisfied with whatever outcome.
References
Alshehry, A. S. (2018). Spirituality and spiritual care competence among expatriate nurses working in Saudi Arabia. Religions, 9(12), 384.
Isaac, K. S., Hay, J. L., & Lubetkin, E. I. (2016). Incorporating spirituality in primary care. Journal of religion and health, 55(3), 1065-1077.
Saad, M., & de Medeiros, R. (2021). Spirituality and Healthcare—Common Grounds for the Secular and Religious Worlds and Its Clinical Implications. Religions, 12(1), 22.
Alternative Expert Answer and Explanation
Cultural Competency Strengths and Weaknesses
When practicing, a provider may encounter various patient situations including cases where patients need spiritual care. This is an encounter which I tend to have, and sometimes, I may interact with a patient whose worldview diverges from mine. While I can effectively deal with such kind of a clinical situation, I have some flaws when it comes to working with a patient with diverging worldviews (Nair & Adetayo, 2019).
Strengths
Whenever I am working with a patient with a conflicting worldview, I tend to make efforts to understand the different aspects of the patient’s spirituality and their worldview. Being aware of a patient’s views about the world around them is the first start in initiating conversations which can lead to greater understanding of the spiritual values of the patient (Nair & Adetayo, 2019).
I am also good at listening to what the patient wants to say about the aspects of their beliefs and worldviews. Whenever I am having a conversation with a patient, I take time to listen to whatever they have to say regarding their spiritual doctrines and concerns. By doing this, I am able to get to know the patient’s feelings and concerns, and integrate the same in the care process (Nair & Adetayo, 2019.
Weakness
I am not totally effective in working with patients with whom I differ in terms of our perspectives on the world around us. I have my own prejudices against other cultures and this may affect the way I view I see other cultures. The assumptions I make about other faiths or spiritual practices may skew how I see other worldviews (Handtke, Schilgen, Mösko, 2019).
Ethical Decision
I would let a patient have a final say where a clinical issue is sensitive. This is because it is morally wrong to enforce certain beliefs which do not conform to the patient’s own belief.
References
Handtke, O., Schilgen, B., Mösko, M. (2019). Culturally Competent Healthcare – A Scoping Review Of Strategies Implemented In Healthcare Organizations And A Model Of Culturally Competent Healthcare Provision. PLoS ONE 14(7)..Doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219971.
Nair, L., & Adetayo, O. A. (2019). Cultural Competence and Ethnic Diversity in Healthcare. Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 7(5), e2219. https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000002219.
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Assignment: Benchmark – Patient’s Spiritual Needs: Case Analysis
In addition to the topic Resources, use the chart you completed and questions you answered in the Topic 3 about “Case Study: Healing and Autonomy” as the basis for your responses in this assignment.
Answer the following questions about a patient’s spiritual needs in light of the Christian worldview.
- In 200-250 words, respond to the following: Should the physician allow Mike to continue making decisions that seem to him to be irrational and harmful to James, or would that mean a disrespect of a patient’s autonomy? Explain your rationale.
- In 400-500 words, respond to the following: How ought the Christian think about sickness and health? How should a Christian think about medical intervention? What should Mike as a Christian do? How should he reason about trusting God and treating James in relation to what is truly honoring the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence in James’s care?
- In 200-250 words, respond to the following: How would a spiritual needs assessment help the physician assist Mike determine appropriate interventions for James and for his family or others involved in his care?
Remember to support your responses with the topic Resources.
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
Case Study: Healing and Autonomy
Mike and Joanne are the parents of James and Samuel, identical twins born 8 years ago. James is currently suffering from acute glomerulonephritis, kidney failure. James was originally brought into the hospital for complications associated with a strep throat infection. The spread of the A streptococcus infection led to the subsequent kidney failure. James’s condition was acute enough to warrant immediate treatment.
Usually cases of acute glomerulonephritis caused by strep infection tend to improve on their own or with an antibiotic. However, James also had elevated blood pressure and enough fluid buildup that required temporary dialysis to relieve.
The attending physician suggested immediate dialysis. After some time of discussion with Joanne, Mike informs the physician that they are going to forego the dialysis and place their faith in God. Mike and Joanne had been moved by a sermon their pastor had given a week ago, and also had witnessed a close friend regain mobility when she was prayed over at a healing service after a serious stroke.
They thought it more prudent to take James immediately to a faith healing service instead of putting James through multiple rounds of dialysis. Yet, Mike and Joanne agreed to return to the hospital after the faith healing services later in the week, and in hopes that James would be healed by then.
Two days later the family returned and was forced to place James on dialysis, as his condition had deteriorated. Mike felt perplexed and tormented by his decision to not treat James earlier. Had he not enough faith? Was God punishing him or James? To make matters worse, James’s kidneys had deteriorated such that his dialysis was now not a temporary matter and was in need of a kidney transplant.
Crushed and desperate, Mike and Joanne immediately offered to donate one of their own kidneys to James, but they were not compatible donors. Over the next few weeks, amidst daily rounds of dialysis, some of their close friends and church members also offered to donate a kidney to James. However, none of them were tissue matches.
James’s nephrologist called to schedule a private appointment with Mike and Joanne. James was stable, given the regular dialysis, but would require a kidney transplant within the year. Given the desperate situation, the nephrologist informed Mike and Joanne of a donor that was an ideal tissue match, but as of yet had not been considered—James’s brother Samuel.
Mike vacillates and struggles to decide whether he should have his other son Samuel lose a kidney or perhaps wait for God to do a miracle this time around. Perhaps this is where the real testing of his faith will come in? Mike reasons, “This time around it is a matter of life and death. What could require greater faith than that?”
Rubric Criteria
Criterion | 1. Unsatisfactory | 2. Less Than Satisfactory | 3. Satisfactory | 4. Good | 5. Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decision-Making and Principle of Autonomy Decision-Making and Principle of Autonomy | 0 points Decisions that need to be made by the physician and the father are not analyzed according to the principle of autonomy. | 39 points Decisions that need to be made by the physician and the father are analyzed from both perspectives, but the analysis according to the principle of autonomy is unclear. Analysis is not supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. | 45 points Decisions that need to be made by the physician and the father are clearly analyzed from both perspectives, but the analysis according to the principle of autonomy lack details. Analysis is not supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. | 51 points Decisions that need to be made by the physician and the father are clearly analyzed from both perspectives with details according to the principle of autonomy. Analysis is supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. | 60 points Decisions that need to be made by the physician and the father are analyzed from both perspectives with a deep understanding of the complexity of the principle of autonomy. Analysis is supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. |
Decision-Making, Christian Perspective, and the Principles of Beneficence and Nonmaleficence Decision-Making, Christian Perspective, and the Principles of Beneficence and Nonmaleficence | 0 points Decisions that need to be made by the physician and the father are not analyzed according to the Christian perspective and the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence. | 39 points Decisions that need to be made by the physician and the father are analyzed according to the Christian perspective and the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence, but the analysis is unclear. Analysis is not supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. | 45 points Decisions that need to be made by the physician and the father are clearly analyzed according to the Christian perspective and the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence but lacks details. Analysis is not supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. | 51 points Decisions that need to be made by the physician and the father are clearly analyzed with details according to the Christian perspective and the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence. Analysis is supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. | 60 points Decisions that need to be made by the physician and the father are analyzed with deep understanding of the complexity of the Christian perspective, as well as with the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence. Analysis is supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. |
Spiritual Needs Assessment and Intervention (B) Spiritual Needs Assessment and Intervention (C1.2, 5.2) | 0 points How a spiritual needs assessment would help the physician assist the father determine appropriate interventions for his son, his family, or others involved in the care of his son is not analyzed. | 39 points How a spiritual needs assessment would help the physician assist the father determine appropriate interventions for his son, his family, or others involved in the care of his son is analyzed, but unclear. Analysis is not supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. | 45 points How a spiritual needs assessment would help the physician assist the father determine appropriate interventions for his son, his family, or others involved in the care of his son is clearly analyzed but lacks details. Analysis is not supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. | 51 points How a spiritual needs assessment would help the physician assist the father determine appropriate interventions for his son, his family, or others involved in the care of his son is clearly analyzed with details. Analysis is supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. | 60 points How a spiritual needs assessment would help the physician assist the father determine appropriate interventions for his son, his family, or others involved in the care of his son is clearly analyzed with a deep understanding of the connection between a spiritual needs assessment and providing appropriate interventions. Analysis is supported by the case study, topic study materials, or Topic 3 assignment responses. |
Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use) Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use) | 0 points Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice or sentence construction is used. | 6.5 points Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register) or word choice are present. Sentence structure is correct but not varied. | 7.5 points Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but they are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct and varied sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are employed. | 8.5 points Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. The writer uses a variety of effective sentence structures and figures of speech. | 10 points Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English. |
Documentation of Sources Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style) | 0 points Sources are not documented. | 6.5 points Documentation of sources is inconsistent and/or incorrect, as appropriate to assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors. | 7.5 points Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some formatting errors may be present. | 8.5 points Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is mostly correct. | 10 points Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error. |
Other Answered Questions:
with a patient who is dying, how do you feel about working with a patient who is dying
how do nurses feel when a patient dies, seeing your first patient die
