An Assignment Submitted by
13.1
For Betty, faith is one of the most crucial part of her life that cannot be ignored by the health care provider. Patients with strong religious beliefs are often considered as problematic, as their faith may interfere with the treatment and the work of health care providers. However, it is the obligation of the nurses to make the patients feel safe, appreciated, and respected. In this case, the nurse can help the patient to overcome the difficult period by providing moral support and understanding of the patient’s state.
The nurse may have a conversation with Betty regarding her fears, uncertainties, and the disease. It is important to comfort the patient showing that she is in good hands. The nurse can ask Betty if she has anyone she wants to talk to, including her relatives, friends, or a spiritual leader. The nurse may use the Christian religious beliefs to comfort the patient by asking Betty not to lose faith, wait, and hope for a better future. The nurse has to be attentive to the patient, as the terminally ill patients are vulnerable. Also, Betty is an elderly patient, which makes her sensitive and vulnerable as well. In this situation, the nurse has to make sure that the patient’s beliefs are respected by the other health care providers and her needs are met in the facility.
13.2
It is possible that Betty has an urge to consult with the spiritual leader in the hospital. In this case, the nurse will have to help her by providing the moral support and by contacting the priest if there are none in the facility. In some hospitals there is a chapel and very often a specific chaplain who works with the patients of a specific facility. The nurse may ask him to come to the patient to comfort the patient if there is a need to do so. At the same time, the nurse has to make sure that the patient is comfortable and feels better about her disease. The nurse has to know what steps to take in such situations because her initial purpose is to heal the patients, make them feel safe and comfortable, and make sure that the other health care providers respect the patients’ needs, values, and beliefs. The core purpose of the nurse is to become an ally of the patient, despite her beliefs and value system or the status of the patient. It is quite clear that Betty feels the need to interact with someone, seek support, and overcome fear regarding her disease. In a lot of cases, the patients are not capable to retain self-confidence when they encounter with the serious illness. A lot of elderly patients do not have family members or someone close to take care about them. Even though the nurse cannot provide the same support and care, she can make sure that the patient feels secure and supported during the time in hospital.
13.3
It is a common situation when the religious patients ask the nurses to participate in their faith usually disregarding the possibility that the nurse may not share their beliefs. However, it is crucial to remember that such vulnerable patients as Betty may be in the challenging situation knowing that they may die in the nearest future. It is also difficult for nurse who does not share the same beliefs or who is an atheist to participate in praying sessions. It is a controversial situation that does not have a correct approach. However, the nurse cannot be rude to the patient, decline the offer to pray in a disrespectful manner, or mock a patient’s beliefs. It is possible to use two approaches in this case. Specifically, if the nurse does not mind, she can agree to pray with the patient not mentioning that she is an atheist. In this case, the nurse will help the patient to overcome a challenging feeling of loneliness. Another approach requires a careful decline and a proposition to find a chaplain or ask a fellow nurse who is Christian to pray with Betty. The second approach is the most ethical, as it will not challenge the beliefs of both parties and the nurse will remain true to herself and the patient.
