Holistic care involves more than physical healing to include the spiritual and emotional needs. In such scenarios of ethical dilemmas such as the one in Healing and Autonomy, healthcare providers have to reflectively use Christian ethical principles with due respect of patients’ autonomy and provision of person-centered care. This article details the methods of identifying spiritual needs, the ethical Christian principles application, as well as the participatory approach to care planning.
Find and honor the patient’s autonomy when serving his or her spiritual needs.
Patient autonomy is an ethical healthcare practice building block. In the case study Healing and Autonomy, James, the father, seeks to reject a kidney transplant for his son Samuel that has been suggested to him, and instead rely on divine healing. Even though his decision stems from sincere faith, he faces ethical and medical issues.
Healthcare providers need to balance the respect for autonomy with medical responsibility, in responding effectively. Practicing Dignity (Chapter 5) describes autonomy in the Christian ethics as not only freedom of choice, but also responsible and informed decision-making based on truth and moral values. Medical personnel should make sure that James and his wife are well informed about risks, benefits and consequences of their choices. Spiritual needs can be taken care of during this phase through sincere and loving conversation.
It is important to start by engaging in spiritual needs assessment. Spiritual health assessment tools used in the article “Assessing Spiritual Health Through the Use of Spiritual Health Assessment Tools” may assist clinicians in establishing the spiritual beliefs and values that guide decision-making. For instance, what the family understands by illness, sources of hope for the family, and what they value are crucial insights that can be found by asking.
This process is useful in development of trust which is critical in empowerment of the family so that they can make decisions that are compatible with both their faith and what would be best for the child. The provision of chaplaincy support, prayers, or religious counseling are in order when spiritual needs are profound and become crucial to making healthcare decisions.
Abide by the Christian Principles of Beneficence and Nonmaleficence in compassionate manner.
There are two fundamental precepts to the ethical practice of Christian Healthcare; beneficence (doing good) and nonmaleficence (not doing harm). These must direct every intervention. On a Christian understanding, health and illness are not just biomedical occurrences but part of a bigger narrative, a spiritual narrative. The body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and it is a moral obligation to ensure it is taken good care of.
In this case, the care team will be required to act to benefit the health of Samuel (beneficence) while causing no delay nor harm (nonmaleficence). Although James hoped for divine healing, missed timely treatment contributed to deterioration of his health. Although respecting their religion, the care team has to compassionately explain that going for medical attention does not imply one has a lack of faith. Rather, it is possible to perceive it as cooperation with God’s Sabbath.
“Faith-Sensitive End-of-Life Care for Children, Young People, and Their Families” article highlights the necessity of a sensitive communication that acknowledges the religious identity of patients and families. Not only the child’s understanding of his/ her disease but also the spiritual distress of the caregivers is a part of spiritual care for children. Such an emotional and spiritual burden may be eased by the help of families being guided through ethical frameworks supporting faith and science.
The healthcare team may indicate that donation of one’s kidney is a great illustration of sacrificial love – a gesture well recommended in Christian doctrines. Positioning medical intervention as a moral benefit that aligns with Christian values, care providers could have subtle effects on decisions without compromising the patient’s spiritual world view.
Promote participatory and person centered approach to improve results.
Person centered care model as specified by WHO (2021) creates an enablement platform for patients and families to be involved in their care actively instead of passive recipients. Such a model coincides perfectly well with Christian ethics, which put its stress on human dignity, respect of each other, and co-responsibility for health matters.
In order to apply a participatory approach, providers are to engage James and his wife in all the processes of planning care. Start by using shared decision-making conversations, in such a way that the questions, hopes and religious ideas of the family are received, and heard. Including clergy, chaplains, or faith leaders, if possible, can help to overcome the distance between medical recommendations and religious concerns.
Family participation in weighing treatment options, assessing implications, and expressing goals of care promotes cooperation. It also helps to minimize rejection to treatment advice because the process does not feel intrusive but participative.
In addition, accountability is significant in providing ethical, professional care. Providers are expected to meet standards in terms of cultural competency, spiritual sensitivity, and clinical excellence. The recording spiritual assessment, monitoring spiritual interventions (prayer support, chaplain visit, ethical consultation), and observing spiritual outcomes from the spiritual and medical viewpoints are some of them.
Eventually, there will be whole-person care that respects the patient’s body, mind, and spirit. In the Healing and Autonomy case, that means appreciating the depth of family’s faith and assisting them with finding a morally and medically reasonable way forward. When providers engage in compassion, truth and humility when they work, they manifest Christ-like care in its purest form.
Conclusion
Spiritual care does not stand alone from clinical care – it is at the core of it, particularly in morally complex situations where individual religious convictions were pronounced. Including Christian aspects, being respectful to patient autonomy, and being participatory, person-centered, healthcare providers can provide ethically sound and spiritually supportive care. The outcome is better health outcomes and healing with respect to the whole person created in God’s image.
Related Nursing Assignment
For this final assignment, you will be tasked to review your work in the Topic 3 case study and continue to analyze the case to best determine spiritual care interventions throughout their plan of care. In particular, the focus will be on the Christian application of the four principles, as well as appropriate options in providing a patient with spiritual care.
Based on the chart you completed and questions you answered in the Topic 3 about “Case Study: Healing and Autonomy” (attached) and reading the topic Resources, complete the “Patient’s Spiritual Needs: Case Analysis” (attached) document, in which you will analyze the case study in relation to the following:
- Patient autonomy
- Christian perspective and actions related to sickness and health, principles of beneficence, and nonmaleficence
- Spiritual needs assessment and appropriate interventions for all involved in providing care
- Accountability that would demonstrate an ethical manner that reflects professional standards of practice and person-centered care and participatory approach to care
Note: Participatory approach to care calls for involving stakeholders, particularly the participants in a program or those affected by a given policy, in specific aspects of the evaluation process. The approach covers a wide range of different types of participation, and stakeholders can be involved at any stage of the impact evaluation process, including its design, data collection, analysis, reporting, and managing a study.
Also, person-centered care is “empowering people to take charge of their own health rather than being passive recipients of services” (WHO, 2021). This care strategy is based on the belief that patient views, input, and experiences can help improve overall health outcomes.
Support your response using ONLY the following Topic 5 Resources (all attached):
- Chapter 5 from the textbook Practicing Dignity: An Introduction to Christian Values and Decision-Making in Health Care
- “Assessing Spiritual Health Through the Use of Spiritual Health Assessment Tools: Indications for End-of-Life Care”
- “Faith-Sensitive End-of-Life Care for Children, Young People, and Their Families”
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