Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity
Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
The world is full of diversity. You can find this diversity in nature, along with people their cultures and belief systems. The following paper will describe three of these belief systems in order to familiarize the reader with a small example of how a belief system shapes their response to healthcare. The three religions that will be covered will be Baha'i Faith, Islam, and Buddhism.
In the Bahá'í faith they believe in an universal consciousness, teaching that there is only one God, that there is only one human race, and that all the world’s religions represent stages in the revelation of God’s will and purpose for humanity. Their religious leader has said “the time has arrived for the uniting of all peoples into a peaceful and integrated global society. “The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens” (The Bahá’í Faith: The International Website of the Bahá’ís of the World, n.d.). To this end they believe in healing thru the power of spiritual healing along with the process of physical healing. This system is usually comprised of a mixture of exercise, meditation, proper nutrition, prayer and visualization. Along with this is the use of physical medicine such as medications, diagnostic imagining, and acupuncture. They believe that there are “Three Tools of Healing – Medical Intervention, Prayer, and Joy and Laughter.” Because these three tools are also in the tool box of most care providers there is a symbiotic relationship between those that follow the Bahá'í faith and those that are in the medical field. So the question of what is important to people of a particular faith when cared for by health care providers whose spiritual beliefs differ from their own? Is best answered with they also believe that anyone that is...
... middle of paper ...
...of who we are. It is very important to clarify practices with our patients in order to increase the comfort and peace of minds of our patients and their families so they may have an easier time with the process of healing.
Works Cited
Islam USA (n.d.). Information for Health Care Providers when dealing with a Muslim Patient. Retrieved May 2, 2011, from http://www.islam-usa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115:information-for-health-care-providers-when-dealing-with-a-muslim-patient&catid=60:articles&Itemid=145
The Bahá’í Faith: The International Website of the Bahá’ís of the World (n.d.). Let your vision be world embracing. Retrieved May 1, 2011, from http://www.bahai.org/
UrbanDharma.org (2004). Buddhist Beliefs and Practices Affecting Health Care - Chaplaincy Services. Retrieved May 2, 2011, from ttp://www.urbandharma.org/udharma8/health.html
This book addresses one of the common characteristics, and challenges, of health care today: the need to achieve a working knowledge of as many cultures as possible in health care. The Hmong population of Merced, California addresses the collision between Western medicine and holistic healing traditions of the Hmong immigrants, which plays out a common dilemma in western medical centers: the need to integrate modern western medicinal remedies with aspects of cultural that are good for the well-being of the patient, and the belief of the patient’s ability to recuperate. What we see is a clash, or lack of integration in the example of the story thereof. Lia, a Hmong child with a rare form of epilepsy, must enter the western hospital instead of the Laotian forest. In the forest she would seek out herbs to remedy the problems that beset her, but in the west she is forced to enter the western medical hospital without access to those remedies, which provided not only physical but spiritual comfort to those members of the Hmong culture. The herbs that are supposed to fix her spirit in the forest are not available in the western hospital. The Merced County hospital system clashes with Hmong animist traditions.
With guidance from principle beliefs and the XIVth Dalai Lama, Buddhist bioethics and the devotional practice of Temple Puja have an impact of high significance on individuals, and the Buddhist community in ultimately, guiding the life of the adherent to achieve total enlightenment. As the modern figurehead for Buddhism, the XIVth Dalai Lama has contributed to the formulation and reassessment of the Buddhist approach to ethical issues.
Buddhism is a religion from the East that has spread to many different countries all over the world. It has spread to the West, and has had a great influence and impact, especially in America. However, the Buddhism that is practiced in the United States is not exactly the same as the one that is practiced in Asian countries. If Buddhism differs between the different traditions of the Asian countries themselves, it is obvious that it will differ greatly in America as well. However, even though there are obvious differences, it is important to maintain the core values and fundamental principles the same. This research explores how the three different types of Buddhist practitioners have adopted Buddhism in America, and it describes some differences
In a world of suffering and pain the Dalai Lama said, “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive”. The Dalai Lama has become a figurehead for Buddhism worldwide for his compassion and warm smiles. Buddhism has extended beyond meditation and even monks such as the Dalai Lama. The basic concepts of compassion and mindfulness in Buddhism are being applied in the daily lives of lay people who need it the most.
Culturally congruent care has several components. The components of culturally congruent care include being caring, competent and culturally sensitive (Andrews & Boyle, 2012). Positive outcomes have been associated with competent and culturally sensitive care (Long, 2012). In this ethical dilemma, I could have been better prepared to advocate for alternative treatments had I been educated on Jehovah’s Witness. This would have let me be more caring to this patient, competent, and culturally sensitive.
Buddhism is currently the fourth most popular religion in our society today, following Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. Its major ideologies are based on the philosophies of Siddhartha Guatama, also known as “Buddha”, who began his teachings in 598 BCE at the age of 35, according to Buddhist texts. A Buddhist’s foremost aspiration is the obtainment of Bodhi, or enlightenment through meditation and Anapana-sati (awareness of the breath). Buddhism shares many ideologies with India’s Hinduism and Yoga such as non-harming, non-violence, and self-awareness. In many instances, people regard Buddhism as a way of life rather than a religion, for it has no clear belief in the idea of a God or Gods. Its structure is built upon a hierarchy much like Christianity where superior orders such as Lamas or the Dalai Lama are said to be chosen by nature through the process of reincarnation rather than by a council like Christianity’s Pope. Though these “higher level” Buddhists are rare (not everyone is a reincarnation of an ancient Buddhist “priest”), all are permitted to follow “The Middle Way” either as a Buddhist monk or the simple attendance of a weekly teaching session from time to time. Throughout the last few hundred years the Buddhist population has blossomed into a healthy 381,611,000 and over fifteen different sects including Zen, Mahayana, and Theravada.
This paper explores the concept of culture, its definitions, and its application to nursing and health care. Culture is a group's customs, habits, morals, and shared beliefs. The understanding of culture, not only as a concept, but how it relates to health care is imperative for providers. The lack of cultural awareness, or competency, leads to miscommunication, inadequacy of care, and health disparities among individuals and groups. Jehovah’s Witness’ are one group of individuals with defined morals and beliefs that can be at odds with routine health care: they do not accept most blood products. Understanding how culture can impact a patient, their needs, and beliefs can improve patient outcomes and improve satisfaction rates.
Treating all patients with dignity, respect, and understanding to their cultural values and autonomy. Each patient comes with their own religious belief. With patient-centered care as health care providers, we have to have ways to work around a patient with different beliefs. Catering to their culture differences and needs is a must in order to fulfill their needs.
Cultural blindness can lead to misconceptions and the inability to treat patients efficiently. Culture, religion, beliefs, values, social economic standings, education, mentality, morals, and treatment are all different from person to person, community, and groups. These barriers can be overcome by treating each patient as a unique individual and seeking to learn about cultural beliefs and differences, without reservations or pre-judgments but with an open and willing mind. These inhibiting barriers can be crossed through acceptance and commonality can be established. Through Patient-centered communication and attentiveness to the patients’ interpretation, discussion of lifestyle and treatment choices in an open and non-judgmental manner, and understanding of patient views, concerns and information needs can lead to cultural sensitivity and appreciation (Dean, R,
230). There are two main “types” Buddhism that are practiced around the world. The first is Theravadin, and the second is Mahayana (Smith-Stoner, 2005, p. 228). Buddhism contains a “message of salvation” that considered the “Four Noble Truths” (Leming & Dickinson, 2011 p. 134). They are, the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering. Leming and Dickinson (2011) describe how the combination of ethics and meditation are the eightfold path to enlightenment (Leming & Dickinson, 2011 p. 136). The author believes it is important for practitioners to recognize the increasing numbers of people practicing Buddhism in the United States in order to enhance their ability to care for end of life needs in this population. Smith-Stoner (2005) states that Buddhism is one of the fastest growing religions in the United States and that Colorado is one of the main population centers (Smith-Stoner, 2005, p. 229). In Buddhism, it is extremely important to be able to tame emotions and the mind which is done through meditation. The author thinks it is pertinent to know the
An individual’s culture and belief may significantly impact the type of services they require. In addition, it may affect the time, place, and method in the delivery of health care
Greenstreet W, 2006. Integrating Spirituality in Health And Social Care: Perspectives And Practical Approaches. 1 Edition. Radcliffe Publishing.
...d care has potential for better patient outcomes as well as benefit for health care professionals. With improved provider-patient communication, each could potentially teach the other what it means to be sick, what treatments are religiously or culturally endorsed or otherwise, what factors impact decision making and who makes the decisions. Providers certainly have the need and the capability to enhance their abilities to question patients respectfully and non-judgmentally, while patients can beencouraged to better explain their concerns without hesitation or reservations.
...healing process of the patient. Healthcare professionals should frequently ask questions in order to fully understand if certain needs are to be met because of religious practices or beliefs. For example, a fresh bed sheet can be offered to a Muslim in order for a clean space for their daily prayers (pg. 21, Singh, 2009). Certain medical decisions can be difficult to finalize since religion must be taken into consideration. Healthcare providers will come into contact with people of different faiths, nationalities and cultures. All patients should be treated with the same amount of respect and acceptance in order for their medical needs to be fairly met.
"Buddhism's Core Beliefs." ReligiousTolerance.org by the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.