A key factor that healthcare providers have to take into consideration while taking care of the patients is the development of a culturally competent character. It is imperative that care providers to not only have a good understanding about the physiological needs of the patient but also having a better understanding of the ethnic background and the spiritual needs of the patient. These strategies are aimed at ensuring that the concept of holistic care is achieved on the patient being provided with care. Many physicians however lack the wisdom and the expertise required to address patients with these problems. According to the Joint Commission, it is imperative that healthcare providers be on the forefront in ensuring that patients’ safety and quality are upheld all the time (Joint Commission Resources, 2015). One way of making sure that these objectives are achieved is through the recognition of the patients’ spiritual needs.
I had the opportunity of interviewing Mr. M who is a middle-aged African American. Mr. M is a Christian who has subscribed to Catholicism as his major religion. I resorted to interviewing him with the objectives of having a clear understanding of his spiritual needs in order to provide him with holistic care since he is currently battling pancreatic cancer in the critical care unit. I utilized the FICA spiritual assessment tool, which mainly focused on carrying out a survey on his spiritual needs in terms of his faith, importance, and community and how I was to address the problems (American Family Physician, 2012).
The interview
Me: What are some of the beliefs that assist you in coping with stress?
Me: How have your beliefs the way you take care of yourself during illnesses?
Me|: Are you part of a spiritual community which assists you in building on your hope?
Me: Does you being in your current state of health affect how your abilities in spiritual matters?
Me: How can I be of assistance in your quest for addressing your healthcare issues?
Me: Thank you for your time Mr. M
Analysis
The interview was a success in general. The fact that I was allowed to have time to interact with Mr. M with the intentions s of having a good understanding of his spiritual needs is testimony enough that the interview went well. The patient was also instrumental in making sure that my objectives of assessing his spiritual needs went on well since he participated fully in the process by providing the answers which I required from him to assist in developing care plan for him.
In future, I will ensure that I take my patient on a little walk around the vicinities of the hospital while conducting my survey since I noticed that the patient was uneasy opening up about his spiritual beliefs in front of other patients in the healthcare facility. This move will be beneficial in the sense that I will get a more detailed insight into Mr. M’s spiritual journey.
The barriers I experienced in this interview were primarily the time factor and the fact that the critical care unit requires total silence. Therefore, I couldn’t quite hear some of the points that Mr. M was saying to me. Moving forward, I will make sure that the next time I conduct my assessment, I will request for more time from the management and a different place away from the critical care unit to avoid disturbance to other patients.
This experience has helped me have an understanding of my patient’s spiritual needs which is a crucial step in developing a healthcare plan that incorporates his ethical stand in the process. This is helpful in providing holistic care (O'brien, 2013). I discovered that illnesses and stress made the patient increase his spiritual concerns since this is the time that he brings himself to God. By involving more in prayer and singing means that the patient has got belief that in the event that he gives his needs to the Lord, they will definitely be addressed.
References
American Family Physician. (2012). The Spiritual Assessment - American Family Physician. Retrieved from http://www.aafp.org/afp/2012/0915/p546.html
Joint Commission Resources. (2015). The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety | Joint Commission Resources. Retrieved from http://www.jcrinc.com/the-joint-commission-journal-on-quality-and-patient-safety/
O'brien, M. E. (2013). Spirituality in nursing. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
