...The Relevance of Spirituality in the Context of Managed Care Including Sociological and Philosophical Perspectives. Isha Kanu Grand Canyon University: HLT-310V-O503 January 23, 2015 Spirituality is a broad term and there is so much room for different perspectives. It is a way one can connect themselves to something that is bigger than who they are to my own understanding. For so many cases, people’s spirituality is based on searching for the real meaning of life. Spirituality can be defined as the awareness of the relationships with all of creation and also the appreciation of a presence and a purpose that involves a sense of meaning. It is very important for doctors and nurses including other healthcare workers to be certain about when/whether or even how to address the spirituality and religious issues of their patients. Considering the field of health, there are so many cultures and religious pluralism faced every day by healthcare workers. The range of belief systems in the healthcare field is so wide that even nurses and physicians cannot be expected to have an understanding of all beliefs with the practices involved. It is obvious that there are so many differing faiths ranging from atheism, Christianity, agnosticism, Islam, and even to the myriad assortment of spiritual practices that is unheard of to some healthcare workers. Although as healthcare workers it’s impossible to determine every single patient’s spiritual background immediately, it is very vital...
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...the rituals required aids in the healing process. Healthcare providers need to address key components of any faith in an open and compassionate manner to promote comfort and healing in all individuals. Respect for how an individual believes, the way they choose to allow growth in their belief system and how an individual chooses to maintain their spirituality are important aspects of the holistic approach to health care delivery Until June 8, 2008 my exposure to any religion had been forced by my parents or used as a way to get out of difficult or unwanted circumstances. On June 8, 2008, I had the first true and lasting heart conversion in my life. The journey since this time has been up and down with many trials and unwanted circumstances and the knowing that the Lord is with me to walk me through. Faith and spirituality are different from religion in my mind and I believe that the Lord meant for them to be different. Religion, to me, is legalistic rituals with rules that tell you what you should and should not do to get to heaven without any power to carry them out. Faith and spirituality go hand in hand and enables individuals to seek the power to live a victorious life in Christ Jesus in this present life. Spirituality can be defined as the way to find meaning, hope, comfort and inner peace and is characterized by acts of compassion and selflessness (Ehrlich, 2011). It is through faith and trust that spirituality is developed and made to grow. Acceptance of faith...
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...the use of spiritual practices, such as prayer, for the purpose of affecting a cure of or an improvement in an illness” (medical dictionary, 2011). Spiritual healings are commonly practiced, and now are greatly encouraged. However, today we have “healing hospitals” that follow the practices of spiritual healing. Erie Chapman and the Baptist Healing Trust envisioned a spiritual healing environment that focused on the healing of mind, body and spirit of patients. They believe that the healing hospital would also be beneficial for hospital employees by creating a productive work environment that supports the morals of employees. Spirituality can be anything in believing in a higher power that is immaterial or in other words, “not of this earth”. Spirituality also means a power that is beyond our five senses: sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste. Spirituality is also looked upon as a powerful component in healing. It is said that in the scriptures such as Peter 1, John and the Book of Psalms support the healing hospital paradigm since it presents an immaterial power that can heal all who believe in the higher power. This Higher power can heal all diseases, emotional distresses, and other disorders. However, the healing hospital paradigms not only care for the illness or disease of a patient but they also care for the emotional needs of the patients. I think that is why Healing Hospitals are so successful and popular. They care for the patients’ body, mind and soul, which is entirely...
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...energy that can be manipulated to restore balance. The Christian worldview believes that we have been created by God in his image (Shelly & Miller, 2006). Spirituality, religion and personal beliefs surrounding worldview questions, can all impact healthcare today. This paper will discuss the meaning of spirituality in the context of healthcare and the questions relating to individual worldviews. Meanings of Spirituality Spirituality can mean different things to different people. It can be the exploratory component of religion (Borg, 2013). There are some who will say that spirituality is meditation, being in tune with nature or talking to spirits, others will say that spirituality is being linked with something greater than them. This often involves seeking for the meaning of life. It can also be said that true spirituality comes from the Holy Spirit of God. As a result the person experiences emotions such as: love; joy; peace; kindness; goodness; faithfulness; gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5: 22-23). The importance of spirituality is that it shows people that there is more out there than our life on earth. Sociological Perspectives The spiritual and religious world has changed in recent years. Fewer people go to church and more consider themselves to be spiritual rather than religious (Lorimer, 2014). Spirituality can be linked with thoughts and emotions such as: love and compassion; forgiveness and...
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...Evaluation Spirituality has been part of nursing from its’ infancy. Initially, nursing care of the sick, was provided by monks as part of a religious order. Florence Nightingale who is credited with revolutionizing modern nursing was said to have chose the profession, because God called her to serve (Nursing-Theory.org, n.d.). Nightingale was the first to revolutionize this thought process, as she realized that healing was holistic, and even involved the patient’s environment. As a result, our profession now recognizes the need to treat the patient holistically, to include the patient’s spirituality. Two examples of assessment tools that assess spirituality are the HOPE assessment tool and the FICA spiritual assessment tool. The HOPE assessment tool uses the acronym to remember all elements of the assessment. H stands for hope, O stands for the patient’s organized religion. P stands for personal spirituality, and E stands for end of life decisions (LaRocca-Pitts, 2009). The FICA spiritual tool acronym stands for Faith or belief, Importance of the patient’s spirituality, their individual spiritual community, and Addressing spirituality (Borneman, Ferrell, & Puchalski, 2010). The author believes that patient spirituality should be assessed immediately in order to ensure holistic care, so a new spiritual assessment tool called, “RAPID” was developed. The RAPID assessment tool acronym is representative of important elements of spirituality so the healthcare providers...
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...Ludwig Alvarado HLT-302 02/27/14 Andre Mooney Spiritual need assessment I believe that in order to assess someone’s spirituality, we as healthcare professionals need to be aware and comfortable with our own spirituality. This gives us the opportunity to care for our patients needs and develop a positive relationship with them. A spiritual assessment is an important first step and a valuable part of the healthcare process, as it incorporates consideration of a patient’s spirituality into medical practice (Skalla, 2005). I believe a questionnaire is the most efficient way to gather this information, which could be filled out by the patient or noted by the healthcare professional during observation. I developed a comprehensive questionnaire which consists of six questions that are developed to asses’ patient’s spiritual needs. I administered it to my friend (J. Nieto, personal communication, February 27, 2014). Acting as if they were my patient and I was their physical therapist. . Question 1- What are your spiritual beliefs? Answer – I am Christian Question 2 - How important are your religious or spiritual beliefs? Answer – I don’t practice my religion as much as I use to or attend church regularly, but I believe in God. Question 3 - Do you have someone you talk to for spiritual guidance or support? Answer - When I need to talk to someone about a problem or for guidance, I like to talk to my grandmother, she always gives me good advice and I trust her. Question...
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...Running Head: COMPARISON AND ANALYSIS Concept Comparison and Analysis Across Theories Paper on Spirituality University of Phoenix Online Developing and Evaluating Educational Programs (NUR/588) Dr. Amy McClune 4 June 2007 Concept Comparison and Analysis Across Theories Paper on Spirituality Spirituality in nursing and medicine has been a conflicting topic because many things have occurred which cannot be explained or proven through scientific experimentation. The only plausible explanation that has been given points to a higher power or being. Florence Nightingale believed she had a calling from God to do her work in nursing not only to physically heal but spiritually heal as well. On the other hand, Dr. Larry Dossey felt medicine alone could not heal and it is the responsibility of the physician to invoke the “power of prayer” to assist with a patient’s healing process. During the mid-nineteenth century, optimism ran high in England. With the rise of empiricism, in which all knowledge is derived from experience, science blossomed and gave rise to high hopes for conquering drudgery and disease. Florence Nightingale went to Crimea and by applying good principles of sanitation, she made a major difference in the death rate of British soldiers – from 42% to 2% (Shelly & Miller, 1999). During this time Florence Nightingale observed that the common people in her day were becoming atheists and losing their basis for ethical...
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...Running head: FAITH DIVERSITY AND THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER: FINAL Faith Diversity and the Healthcare Provider: Final Draft Grand Canyon University: HLT 310V Abstract Patients’ emotional and spiritual needs are not disengaged from the patients’ physical and physiological needs but are considered an integral component of their recovery. There is evidence in medical literature that suggests a strong relationship between spirituality and medicine. With this information, healthcare providers must ensure that all aspects of the patient’s care inclusive of the body, mind and spirit are addressed. Healthcare personnel provide care to a culturally and religiously diverse people. Healthcare personnel must take this diversity into account. This paper will examine three less known faiths- Buddhist, Hindu, and Islam and compare them with Christianity and discuss their differences and commonalities. This paper will discuss the findings and the insight the author has gained through a series of interviews with the people of these three religions. Faith Diversity and the Healthcare Provider: Final Draft Introduction Patients’ emotional and spiritual needs are not disengaged from the patients’ physical and physiological needs but are considered an integral component of their recovery. There is evidence in medical literature that suggests a strong relationship between spirituality and medicine; a survey conducted shows ninety-five percent of Americans believe in God and research...
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...Running head: HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND FAITH DIVERSITY Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Cindy Hardeman Grand Canyon University Spirituality in Health Care HLT310V Emory Davis April 22, 2012 Abstract The practice of health care providers at all levels brings you into contact with people of a variety of faiths. Within a clinical setting an important aspect of spiritual care is enabling participation in religious observation, where desired. This article reveals the authors and Christianity’s perspective in comparison with the Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu faiths approaches to healing. Cultural and spiritual diversity must be embraced in the healthcare setting in order to provide holistic healing. Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Spirituality is part of the human experience that is difficult to comprehend. Each person embraces their spirituality in their own manner. Spirituality is multidimensional and there is evidence that it plays a beneficial role in medical care and healing. Individuals derive this spirituality through their relationship with their families, themselves, and their faith experience (Anandarajah & Hight, 2001). The purpose of this paper is to acknowledge this writers spiritual perspective on healing and its critical components. After presenting a Christian perspective and approach to healing, the Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim faith perspectives will be compared to the Christian approach to healing. The conclusion will include...
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...and Faith Diversity: First Draft “Spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred” (Pulchalski & Ferrell, 2009). INTRODUCTION It is important for the professional nurse to recognize the unique spiritual beliefs and individuality of each patient and family who enters the hospital setting. Nurses have a great opportunity to facilitate their patient’s complex spiritual and religious needs in the face of crisis. Fulfilling these needs has a highly influential impact on patient outcomes and can increase the patient’s ability cope with their human circumstances. The importance of the patient’s belief system should not be underestimated, and the beliefs of the nurse should never be imposed on a patient, especially during such a vulnerable time as this. If the nurse maintains a level of respect for the patient that transcends their own ideology, they can honor and promote the dignity of the patient. This paper reviews some of the basic Christian beliefs in comparison to three other religions with respect to illness, its meaning, cause, treatment and outcome for the hospitalized patient. In commitment to providing patients with relationship-centered care, this author closes the paper with a summary of her own personal beliefs related to spirituality and health care. No individual...
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...Introduction Professional presence is one of the most important characteristics of a nurse. It is a quality that makes the nursing profession special. Professional presence is a combination of characteristics and behaviors, which includes being competent, reliable, empathetic, and respectful of others. Professional Presence The foundation of mechanical or local model (Era I) is entirely based on a belief that health and illness, are solely physical in nature, where mind is merely the result of the fundamental physical or chemical processes in the brain (Dossey, 1999). A person is being treated on a completely physical level where sickness is being controlled by specific substances. Providing physical therapies and treatments is in the core of this model. Besides the traditional use of drugs and surgery it also includes acupuncture, homeopathy, and the use of herbs (Dossey, 1999). According to this mechanistic model, being human means that all health related problems are physical where the human body is treated as having a finite cure. In contrast, transpersonal or nonlocal model (Era III) includes many various ways that health and illness is interpreted and treated. In this model consciousness is not tied to a single person, but to that individual’s physical environment, social network and the cosmos (Dossey, 1999). Some religious patients perceive illness is an indicator of sin, so for them healing can be brought about by spiritual and religious interventions. This era arguably...
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...Running head: SPRITUALITY NEED ASSESMENT Spirituality Need Assessment Elsamma Philip Grand Canyon University HLT- 310 V Verree Laughlin June 10, 2012 Spirituality Need Assessment Introduction Numerous studies conducted showed positive correlation between spirituality and treatment outcomes (Oakley, P.T., D.H.Sc, Katz, Sauer, Dent, & Millar, 2010). Therefore spiritual needs of the patient must be meet by the healthcare professional. The spiritual needs of the patient can be analyzed and recognized in the process of spiritual assessment. The spiritual assessment consists of a survey/ questionnaire that helps the caregiver get information on the patients spiritual demands. The spiritual assessment allows the healthcare provider to meet the spiritual demands of the patient and their family. This enables the patient to receive holistic treatment which includes recognizing and responding to the physical, psychological, spiritual and emotional needs of the patient (Bruce, 2007). According to the joint commission anyone who is trained on the value of spiritual assessment and tools such as physicians, therapists, nurses, and clinical pastoral staff can assess the patient’s spirituality (Evaluating your Spiritual Assessment Process, 2005). The Joint Commission has also provided some guidelines to create a spiritual assessment that would meet the spiritual demands of the patient. Using these guidelines, a spiritual assessment is made to assess...
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...Spiritual Assessment Spiritual Assessment Grand Canyon University February 2 , 2012 Spiritual awareness is important for a healthcare provider if they want to be effective in healing. This is because religious and spiritual dimensions of life influence the lives of many people. Spiritual assessment provides a mean to patient spiritual beliefs and value so that they can be integrated into therapeutic process (Hudge, 2003). Therefore, spiritual assessments are in important in nurse practice. Spiritual assessment can be measure in different way. Nancy, my neighbor ‘s interview who live with her husband since all her kid moved out. She had a heart surgery. Question1: What are your source of hope, strength, comfort and peace? Answer: My entire members in my family are my hope and my strengths Question 2: For some people, their religious or spiritual beliefs acts as sources of comfort and strength in dealing life’s ups and downs is this for you? Answer: Yes, I am truly believe what God direct me Question 3: Do you consider yourself part of an organized religion? Answer: Yes I am always consider myself is a part of religion Does it help you? It is help me a lot especially in my illness time when I was in hospital Question4: What aspect of your spirituality or spiritual practice do you find the most helpful to you personally? Answer: Pray. I usually prayer alone at night. I pray for all my family and others to have a closer relationship with God Question 5: Do you believe...
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...Healing Hospital Environment and their relationship to spirituality Human caring facilitates healing. Healing should be accompanied by love and compassion for the sick persons or their families. Healing is a life-long journey of becoming fully human that involves the totality of our being. It connects our body, mind, emotion, spirit, social and political context, as well as our relationships with others and with the Divine. Healing does not necessarily mean being happy or getting what we think we want out of life; it means growth, often with pain. In the health care field spirituality plays an important role in healing, and to give a sense of well being. Spirituality enables an internal tranquility, a meaning, comfort and hope in everyone’s life. Most humans discover spirituality through religion and religious activity. At the same time, some people attain and relate spirituality through art or music, or a relation with nature or through ethics and principles. Of course, people may have different opinions if we ask whether there is a connection between spirituality and healing. However, since mind, body and spirit are intertwined, the health of any of these factors would influence health of other factors. As a personal concept, spirituality is generally understood in terms of an individual’s attitudes and beliefs related to transcendence or to the non material forces of life and of nature (O’ Brien, 2011, p.5). Spiritual practice relates to a person’s faith and behaviors...
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...Spiritual Needs Assessment According to Potter and Perry (2009), one’s awareness of inner self and having a sense of connection to a higher being is the meaning of spirituality. Spirituality is a force that provides a person with intrinsic energy that promotes and enhances their well-being. It also helps a person achieve the balance needed to cultivate a positive life and to cope with everyday life stressors (Potter & Perry, 2009). Florence Nightingale believed that spirituality within a healing hospital environment, and caring for an individual’s spiritual needs is just as important as caring for their physical needs (Potter & Perry, 2009). Spiritual assessment is defined as the process from which health care providers identify a patient’s spiritual needs related to their mental health care (Spiritual Competency Resource Center, n.d.). In 2005, as evidence-based research demonstrated a correlation between supporting a patient’s spirituality with their health and their ability to cope with an illness, The Joint Commission (TJC) announced the requirement for health care organizations to include “a spiritual assessment as part of the overall assessment of a patient to determine how the patient’s spiritual outlook can affect his or her care, treatment, and services.” (p. 1). Patients deserve the best holistic care from health care providers, and it is through a spiritual assessment upon admission that providers will be guided to providing such care. Introduction And Spiritual...
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