This paper will discuss three different religions that a health care provider may care for in the nursing field. It will discuss the spiritual perspective, as well as the critical components of healing, such as through prayer and meditation. The writer will give a brief summary of each religions belief. The three religions that will be discussed in this paper are Native American, Hinduism, and Buddhism. This paper will discuss what is important to people who are cared for of a particular faith by the health care provider who may have an entirely different belief system. The writer will discuss how a patient may view a health care provider who puts aside his or her own beliefs in the interest of the beliefs and practices of the patient that is being cared for. The writer of this paper is of Christian belief and will compare her beliefs of faith and healing with the three previously mentioned religions.
Spiritual Perspective and Components on Healing
Native American medicine may be as old as 40,000 years. This culture did not develop written language, so there was no documentation of Native American medicine until the Europeans arrived approximately 500 years later. Native American medicine believes that man is part of nature and health is a matter of balance. Ceremonial and ritual medicine is the largest surviving piece of Native American medicine. Native American medicine is based on a belief system of both healing and a cure. Balance is the key to health which is linked to lifestyle and social connections. For healing to take place, the individual must seek out the medicine man as he holds the healing power. The medicine man will then decide what technique he will use to heal the individual based on the situation. He may ch...
... middle of paper ...
...ality in nursing gives us an opportunity to see our own personal needs and values as well as our patients. Therefore, we as nurses are there to take care of these patients by showing them love, compassion, and acceptance.
Works Cited
Native American-History and Philosophy (2000) Retrieved on January 17, 2013 from http://www.healthandhealingny.org/tradition_healing/native.html
Pende Hawter, Ven (1995) Healing: A Tibetan Buddhist Perspective. Retrieved on January 17, 2013 from http://www.buddhanet.net/tib_heal.htm
Sharma, Arvind (ND) The Hindu Tradition Religious Beliefs and Healthcare Decisions. Retrieved on January 17, 2013 from http://www.academia.edu/1774717/Religious_Beliefs_and_Healthcare_Decisions_The_Hindu_Tradition
The Living Bible (1971) Retrieved on January 17, 2013 from http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+21%3A22&version=TLB
Folk medicine is an important aspect of the Appalachian region. According to Mathews, folk medicine is known in involving diseases or illnesses “which are the products of indigenous cultural development and are not explicitly derived from the conceptual framework of modern medicine” (Mathews 1). Folk or traditional medicine is found in all societies, throughout in history, and predates innovation of modern medicine. Folk medicine also explains roles for “indigenous practitioners”(1) who treat and restore health for the individual and community. Folk medicine beliefs and practices serve for the treatment and prevention of aliments and are resistant to change even when the cultural tradition may have gone extinct.
When comparing the healing philosophy that underpins healing practices of the indigenous tribes it’s evident that all cultures share similar beliefs.
In fact, Native American medicine men belief is firmly grounded in age-old traditions, legends and teachings. Healing and medical powers have existed since the very beginning of time according to Native American stories. Consequently they have handed down the tribe's antediluvian legends, which i...
Everyday in this world, elderly, adults, teens or children become ill or get into accidents and need medical attention. Whether these elderly, adults, teens or children are taken to a hospital, pediatrician, specialist, or clinic, a doctor and a nurse will tend to them. The nurse plays a role that is just as important as the doctor. Nurses work very closely with the families as part of the caring process. Every member of the family plays a role in different ways. The nurses are there to help the patient as well as the family step through the illness or injury. They provide information for the prevention of future illness and injury, and help to comfort the patient and his/her family. It is vital that a nurse understands that to be a nurse, you need a certain personality and understanding of the field.
Many of us may not have come from religious family, or may come from other religious backgrounds beside Christianity. That should not make a difference because even though spirituality comes from religion, you do not have to be a religious person to give spiritual care to your patients. To believe in something spiritual is to believe in something profound that it is out of this world, and cannot be explain like a miracle. When all medical efforts fail, patients, who are religious or not tend to look for divine intervention. Mauk, K.l., & Schmidt, N.K. (2004) best describes this by pointing out “ these factors are strongly apparent in times of personal crises involving serious illness and diseases because they threaten a person’s earthly existence” (p.66) The patients is now in need of spiritual care and it is or job to deliver this care , but how do we deliver this
Cultural competence is a skill essential to acquire for healthcare providers, especially nurses. Cooperating effectively and understanding individuals with different backgrounds and traditions enhances the quality of health care provided by hospitals and other medical facilities. One of the many cultures that nurses and other health care providers encounter is the American Indian or Native American culture. There are hundreds of different American Indian Tribes, but their beliefs and values only differ slightly. The culture itself embodies nature. To American Indians, “The Earth is considered to be a living organism- the body of a higher individual, with a will and desire to be well. The Earth is periodically healthy and less healthy, just as human beings are” (Spector, 2009, p. 208). This is why their way of healing and symbolic items are holistic and from nature.
I am grateful to be at an institution of higher learning that understands and respects faith. My philosophy of nursing cannot be explained without God and Jesus. They are a part of each one of us. The reason that someone goes into a healthcare professional is usually to favorably treat a patient’s health. Spirituality of mind and body cannot be separated completely in my nursing philosophy. In this vein, nursing cannot be wholly separated from faith.
Religion is a significant aspect of culture that must be understood and respected. Through understanding the differences in peoples cultures, a nurse who is tending to a patient who’s beliefs differ from his or her own can appropriately adjust care to respect the patient’s beliefs and
...e of the major perspectives of Native American medicine are making a comeback. For a long time western medicine became focused on treating only the body. Yet, with all the technological advances in surgery, medical imaging, drugs, and diagnostics, patient satisfaction is lower than it has been in many years, and even survival rates are dropping for some diseases. The transition back to holistic medicine has been gaining traction, with more patients seeking out chiropractors, naturalists, and holistic physicians. There has also been a return to treating not only the body, but also the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of a patient. This return to holistic medicine has been strongly influenced by Native American medicine and culture, and it appears that even after hundreds of years, there is still more to learn from the Native American medicine men and women.
Terrence, Clifford. Diamo Healing: The Buddhist Medicine and Medical Psychiatry of Tibet. Motilal Banarsidass. 2003.
As we in become more evolved as a nation one of the problem that needs to be address is how to response to diverse faith within our healthcare practices. This essay serves to compare these three different religious philosophies: Yoruba, Hinduism (karma) and Buddhism, to a Christian’s perspective. These religions have wide perspectives but one will key in on health management and what to expect from healthcare point of view while caring for these patients.
Gielen P Uwe, Death and dying in Buddhist Ladakh, International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, January 2006, Volume 44 (Issue 1) p 24-28. ACCESSED ONLINE AT: http://dx.doi.org.roxy.nipissingu.ca/10.1080/14635240.2006.10708061
We hold their hands, are empathetic to their issues, we protect them, their health and welfare and help them maintain their sense of self, independence and overall well-being when often they are at their lowest and worst. The recipients of nursing are all human beings basically, families, people in and around our communities as well as others. Nurses provide care for anyone who needs it without thoughts of ourselves or if the person can pay. Nurses have rights and responsibilities. We are responsible for the patient, to advocate and teach them, communicate truthfully with them and their families.
Singh, D. H. (2009). Healthcare and Religious Beliefs. Alberta Health Services, N/A, 50. Retrieved January 22, 2014, from http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/ps-1026227-health-care-religious-beliefs.pdf
Certain religions, and beliefs come into play when it comes to healing the human body. Beliefs and religions that have been practiced and taught for as long as medicine has been around, and to some people that way of life is the only form of medicine they accept. In this paper I am going to explain how Hinduism and the beliefs that the Hindus