Abstract
There are numerous different nationalities and religions in the United States. Health care givers are confronted by the understanding of the numerous beliefs and religions they encounter every day in their job activities. There are many little known religions and other well known religions. People in these religions have different religious laws that they adhere to. It is imperative for all health care givers to equip themselves with the knowledge of the different laws that guide people in different religions. It is essential for health care givers to understand and appreciate the different religious beliefs of their patients. This creates a friendly environment for the healing process.
This paper will research on three dissimilar religions: Buddhism, Muslim and Native American as compared to Christianity. It will present details on the spiritual point of view of healing in the three religions as compared to Christianity. This paper will in addition center on the critical components of healing such as prayers, meditation and beliefs. The importance of care given by care givers who have different beliefs and values will also be researched on. The paper will furthermore center on how patients view care givers who compromise their personal belief for patient’s sake. A conclusion, detailing the main points in the paper will then be drawn from the research.
Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity
Professionals in health care meet people with different faiths and beliefs in their day to day activities. Different religious beliefs make it difficult to envisage how people comprehend and interpret religion in the perspective of health care. Health care givers are required to encourage patients to explain how their religious beliefs may affect their recipient of health care services in regards to decisions about their treatment, relationship with care givers and the individual needs.
In the provision of health care, different religious traditions have different beliefs. Professionals in health care ought to be responsive to the religious values of their patients to be able to deliver effective medical care. To offer holistic treatment to patients, the health care providers must be skilled to incorporate religious beliefs and faith into the scientific health care processes and procedures. The religious beliefs of a patient should be considered carefully when giving treatment and care to an individual.
Healing occurs once there is a balance between the mind, soul and body. In the provision of health care, Muslims, Buddhists, Native Americans and Christians have differences and similarities in their beliefs systems. In every one of these creeds there is a lot of emphasis on religious practices in achieving healing. All the religious groups believe that there is power in prayers and meditation in order to receive healing. However, these groups have different ways of praying and the focus of their prayers. Buddhists emphasize more on meditations as way to over come illness. They believe the there is less suffering in individuals who meditate than individuals who don’t. Christians and Muslims get confidence that they will get healed when they take time to pray and meditate. The Native Americans have faith in a Great Spirit and also communicate to him in time when they need healing. Prayer is used by all these religions to commune with a higher being and it directs the individual on how to live their lives.
In all religions there is believe that death does not come with end of life but brings with it new life that is believed to be better. Buddhists trust that after they pass away they are reborn and this helps them to view death as a phase in life that all people have to go through.
Christians alternatively trust that if their way of life is in harmony with the will of God subsequently they will go to heaven where life will be better than on earth. Muslims believe that they will be reunited with Allah and he will reward them according to their deeds on earth. Native Americans also believe in a better after life where the body should be transferred when it is as whole as possible. Hence death is the begging of a new and better life for people in all religions.
Another similarity in all the religions is the moral teachings that help people make moral decisions in the context of health care. The moral codes in all the religions help individuals make decisions in regards to the treatment care given to them. For instance abortion is a practice that is highly condemned by these religions.
Food is an imperative part in the healing process and the different religions appreciate the importance of food in healing. However some religions have different specifications on the intake of the food. Muslims have religious laws that prohibit certain food such as pork and gelatin. They are specific on their diets and they request for “Halal” food. These regulations in the diet can affect the use certain medications in patients. Drugs that integrate gelatin and alcohol are an example. Muslims may also be concerned about the use of alcohol-based hand rubs even though they don’t have a stimulating effect on the patient. This should be handled with a lot of care and sensitivity. Buddhists on the other hand are stringent vegetarians and don’t consume meat in any form. This gives rise to problems if they are administered with drugs manufactured using animals. Native Americans highly appreciate the importance of food in healing and food is the focus of all religious and healing rituals. Christians do not have any religious specifications in regards to food. However there are a few believers who don’t engage in pork eating.
Some beliefs may hinder treatment and slow down the healing process. For instance Muslims may decline from consuming pain medication in the conviction that pain deepens their spirituality. They take affliction with emotional reserve and may vacillate to communicate the necessity for pain management. Buddhists emphasize on the importance of mental clarity and any drug the affects their metal status could be highly rejected. Native Americans are mostly stoic about conveying pain and this could lead to futile pain treatment. Care givers should be sentient that even though the patient doesn’t whine about pain they could be immense suffering. Nurse can identify pain though physiological and non verbal indicators. Christians on the other hand accept medications as they believe that God will use the medicine to heal them.
Another difference in these religions is the practices that follow after the death of the patient. Buddhists encourage that the body should not be disturbed for a few hours as they believe the soul does not leave the body immediately. The deceased should be kept as motionless as possible. Buddhists may also demand that they have the body available to them for several hours so as to conduct religious rites. Muslims clean the body as soon as the patient dies and it is positioned to face Mecca burial is the conducted as soon as possible. For Muslims autopsy can only be done if there is an exceptional appeal from the medical practitioners. Native Americans the body is supposed be transit to afterlife whole. Female member are selected to clean the hair and body of the diseased. The body is then laid in specific cultural position with some selected belongings. Native Americans do not allow autopsy and donation of body parts. Christians on the other hand pray for the deceased and a commemorative church service is carried out to celebrate the times of the deceased.
Health care professionals giving care to a patient could be professing different religion. It is very essential that the care giver is conscious about the belief that the patient professes. For the individual receiving treatment, it is important that the care giver acknowledges the difference in their beliefs and respects them. The health care givers should keep an open mind and always consider the beliefs of the patient when giving care. The patients also appreciate care givers who embrace their beliefs without criticizing. To be competent enough to take care of the emotional, bodily and religious aspects of the patient, the care giver has to compromise their faith to a certain degree. Faith plays an important part in the healing process of the patient. For instance meditation has been proved to significantly help in the healing of psychological problems such as depression.
Care givers who are capable of compromising their faith build the patient’s confidence in them. This highly affects the healing process of the patient as there is less conflict and disagreements between the care givers and the patient. Respect and understanding of the patient’s beliefs and faith creates an essential environment for the healing process. Care giver should also patients to exercise their beliefs so as to promote healing. Buddhists may want to hymn or pray in repetition which is frequently done quietly. Some patients may also want to have a picture of Buddha in their rooms. Some also want to burn incense in their rooms. Muslims believe in cleansing in running water and they would not consider themselves clean if they are sponge bathed. It is furthermore necessary that they use running water ahead of meals and prayers. Native Americans may want to keep artifacts such as feathers, beaded chains, bones and hair in their rooms. Christians always insist on having their bibles near them and other praying materials such as rosaries and crucifix.
Patients view care givers how give up their faith as caring and respectful. They respect them and have better relationships which are necessary for the healing process. In these conditions the healing process is faster. Patients also appreciate the care givers and they are happier. The patients also end up appreciating and respecting the beliefs and religion of the care givers. This also creates as peaceful environment that facilitates healing or a peaceful death.
In conclusion, all the given religions have particular practices that are significant to the holistic form of life and the succeeding treatments allowed. There are several similarities in reference to inner balance of a person and the importance of prayer and meditation. There are also similarities in the definitive self respect and respect to other people and life which is in line with the beliefs and faith of Christians. There is also similarity in the moral teaching in all the discussed religions. Similar to the other religions Christianity believes in better life after death. Bereavement is not the last part of life as observed in all beliefs it is the begging of new life. All religions also have faith in higher beings that are believed to have control over life and the universe.
Muslims, Buddhists and Native Americans have beliefs that hinder or slow down the healing process as opposed to Christians who are open minded and welcoming in regards to treatment. A discrepancy is as well observed in the regards as to where the new life begins after death. The practices conducted on the body after death also differ in the different religions. Christians and Native Americans have no specifications in regards to food, which is important for the healing process, as opposed to Buddhists and Muslims. Health care professionals should diversify themselves as care givers by bestowing respect and understanding in the course of smoothing the progress of a peaceful atmosphere for the healing process of patients.
References
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