Background and Context
Most Christians value their religions, and they expect that other people will respect what they believe. In the case study, there are essential principles used to elaborate more about spiritual needs for Christians and different choices made. The primary purpose of the response below is to outline decisions made on a medical intervention based on religious beliefs. Christians have different views about sickness and health, but they also play a significant role in healing and medication. The physician should not allow Mike to continue making decisions that would put their son James at risk. Based on how James’s parents decided on their son’s dialysis, they opt to use religious healing instead of going for the treatment. As a result, their son’s condition became worse and needed a kidney transplant urgently (Ernecoff, Curlin, Buddadhumaruk, & White, 2015). The outcome was unexpected, and there is a high chance that he might make the same mistake in making of choosing religious healing for his son James.The physician should use the principle of no maleficence, which is preventing any harm to the patient, James.
The physician has enough experience and knows that if James doesn’t get the transplant as soon as possible, his life will be in danger. Therefore, he needs to intervene in the decision making of James’s parents concerning their child’s kidney transplant. According to Chakraborty, El-Jawahri, Parnes, and Hashmi (2017), a person can survive with only one kidney and live a normal and healthy life because one kidney will function as two. Furthermore, the physician is in a better position to talk to both Mike and Joan and make them understand how the transplant is essential to their son. The doctor will also explain to them the danger their son will be if he does not get a transplant soon. Different religions have different views about health and sickness. For some Christian, they view it to be a temptation that is given by God to test their faith; to some, they see it as a punishment for their sins. Some also believe that sickness is used as a disruption of the function of the body; thus, they believe that doctors are just intended to assist with the whole process of the treatment.
As indicated in the case study, Mike is a devoted Christian; thus, he believes that sickness happened to his son as a test of his Faith in God. With his belief, he chose spiritual healing rather than medical treatment, which had negative results for his son. According to Schruba, Davis, Aten, Wang, and Boan, D. (2018), people like the Christian Scientist, believes that medical intervention is not essential, thus relying on their healing prayers of Christian scientist-practitioner. Christian should understand that medical intervention is critical, and when one becomes sick, they need to seek medical attention. Having Faith is essential to most Christians, and it’s due to their belief that one gets healing. However, they should also realize that getting medical intervention is necessary because one will be able to heal fast.
Christian Views on Sickness and Health
Despite Mike and Joan attachment to their religion and beliefs, they should think about what is best for their child and how he will get kidney transplants better soon. Mike should maintain his Faith and belief; and allow the physician to go ahead with the plans of performing the transplant for their child James ( Lulé, Kübler, & Ludolph, (2019). Mike’s decision should be based on medical intervention and involvement in the medical treatment of the organ transplant. Besides, he should also continue believing in spiritual healing where he should trust and have faith in God for his son healing, which will be through the kidney transplant. Trusting and believing in God is very important and maintain his Faith in trusting God. ( Hubbard, & Greenblum, 2019). The conclusion that Mike made before was based on the principle of autonomy. As a result, his son ended up to be in a worse situation, and there is another decision that needs to be made about the transplant. In the decision, Mike needs to honor the principles of beneficence and no maleficence. To achieve it, he needs to agree with the doctor because he knows James’ condition and knows what might happen if the transplant is delayed ( Colgrove, 2019). Despite the great faith that Mike has needs to think about what is best for his son. At the same time, he would be honoring no maleficence principle where he is going to do anything to protect his son against harm. Knowing all the danger, his son is his right decision would be showing trust in God and protection to his son.
Spiritual assessment is essential because it allows a person to identify spiritual practice, resources, and beliefs, which will have an impact on one health. In the case study, the physician should use spiritual assessment to help Mike determine the right intervention for James (Robert, Stavinoha, Jones, Robinson, Larson, Hicklen, & Weaver, 2019). Prayer is essential; however, the physician should not use it as a goal of spiritual assessment. Also, the physician should not make the patient agree with a specific type of faith. With the use of spiritual assessment, the physician will be able to incorporate the precepts of Mike’s faith tradition into treatment. Moreover, it encourages the use of resources of Mike’s spiritual wellness for the overall wellness of his son. The assessment will also strengthen the relationship between the physician and the family relationship, and as a result, the will base their decision will be based on the wellbeing of James’s health.
In conclusion, Christians have different views about sickness and health, but they also play a significant role in healing and medication. For some, their principles and value go against the ethic practice and in the process, denying medical attention, which, as a result, may cause a negative impact. Considering the explanation of the patient’s anatomy, which is based on respecting the religion of a person and decisions made, has some effect. The intervention of the physician is critical in the case study, which will be the only way that Mike and Joan will understand their child’s condition and make their next decision based on a medical intervention, which in the process they will be showing their faith in God.
References
Chakraborty, R., El-Jawahri, A. R., Parnes, A. D., & Hashmi, S. K. (2017). A systematic review of religious beliefs about major end-of-life issues in the five major world religions. Palliative & supportive care, 15(5), 609-622.Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28901283
Colgrove, J. (2019). Immunization and Ethics: Beneficence, Coercion, Public Health, and the State. In The Oxford Handbook of Public Health Ethics (p. 435). Oxford University Press, USA.Retrieved from https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245191.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780190245191-e-3
Ernecoff, N. C., Curlin, F. A., Buddadhumaruk, P., & White, D. B. (2015). Health care professionals’ responses to religious or spiritual statements by surrogate decision makers during goals-of-care discussions. JAMA Internal Medicine, 175(10), 1662-1669.Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26322823
Hatamipour, K., Rassouli, M., Yaghmaie, F., Zendedel, K., & Majd, H. A. (2018). Development and Psychometrics of a ‘Spiritual Needs Assessment Scale of Patients: A mixed exploratory study. International Journal of Cancer Management, 11(1).Retrieved from https://www.apjon.org/article.asp?issn=2347-5625;year=2019;volume=6;issue=2;spage=122;epage=129;aulast=Farahani
Hubbard, R., & Greenblum, J. (2019). Parental Decision Making: The Best Interest Principle, Child Autonomy, and Reasonableness. In HEC Forum (pp. 1-8). Springer Netherlands.Retrieved from https://jme.bmj.com/content/early/2019/10/10/medethics-2019-105790
Lulé, D., Kübler, A., & Ludolph, A. (2019). Ethical principles in patient-centered medical care to support quality of life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Frontiers in Neurology, 10, 259.Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6439311/
Robert, R., Stavinoha, P., Jones, B. L., Robinson, J., Larson, K., Hicklen, R., … & Weaver, M. S. (2019). Spiritual assessment and spiritual care offerings as a standard of care in pediatric oncology: A recommendation informed by a systematic review of the literature. Pediatric blood & cancer, e27764.Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31033210
Schruba, A. N., Davis, E. B., Aten, J. D., Wang, D. C.., & Boan, D. (2018). Psychological first aid and the role of scientific evidence in Christians’ provision of disaster spiritual and emotional care. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 37(1), 74-79.Retrieved from https://www.wheaton.edu/media/psychology/faculty-files/cv-ward-davis-fall2019.pdf
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