Patient’s Spiritual Needs

Patient’s Spiritual Needs

Should the physician allow Mike to continue making decisions that seem to him to be irrational and harmful to James, or would that mean a disrespect of a patient’s autonomy? Explain your rationale

No. The father has shown to be irrational in his decision-making process. For starters, he did not ask his son for his opinion on what he would rather have as a treatment plan. Also, his son’s faith was critical in this decision because, after all, he was the subject of healing or treatment. The father did not show any respect for the wishes of his son by his failure to ask for his choice of treatment. Even with the faith that the parents held, the son’s faith was of value as well.

Additionally, the twins’ father was emotionally unstable after he realized the mistake that he and his wife had made of choosing faith healing over traditional medical treatment. This emotional instability can affect his rationalization and further jeopardize future decisions. It is clear that the father was incapable of making a rational decision when presented with the physical evidence, and as it is, he is emotionally and psychologically disqualified as a rational thinker. I would, therefore, not allow him to make any decisions concerning his son’s health. I would explain this to James’ parents so they would not think I disrespect their autonomy. I would also advise them to book an appointment with the healthcare facility’s counselor, who would help them to navigate through accepting that their life as a family would never be the same again. I would also ask the healthcare facility chaplain to talk with them to help them gain a different perception of God and His will toward man.

How ought the Christian to think about sickness and health?

Christians should know sickness is a part of life. It is not a punishment from God, as was the perception by Mike and his wife. In the book of 2 Chronicles, Chapter 20, King Hezekiah was sentenced to die from an incurable disease. However, he was able to negotiate with God for his healing and was added 15 years to his life. This may have seemed like a great thing, but during those 15 years, he bore a son named Manasseh. The Bible records that Manasseh was a wicked king that led the whole of Israel to sin, unlike his father, who had drawn the nation of Israel to worship God as they ought to have worshipped (2 Kings 21:1-26). Everything that God allows in our lives is for our own good and our loved ones. Sickness is included in things that God allows for our own good.

How should a Christian think about medical intervention?

The best way to think of medical intervention is as a channel through which God allows for healing to come to a Christian. In John 9:1-12, Jesus healed a man born blind by first putting mud on his eyes and then asking him to wash his face in the Siloam pool. The name of the pool means ‘sent.’ Jesus had healed many blind people, but this was the first time He had taken such an unorthodox approach to heal this man. This healing shows Christians that God can use other channels to heal people. He can use medical intervention and ‘send’ a Christian to the Siloam pool- the healthcare facility- to receive their healing. If the man had chosen to complain to God and say that it was too much work to go wash his face or that Jesus was unfair by sending him to the pool, then the blind man would have remained blind, and Jesus would have continued healing others.

What should Mike as a Christian do?

Mike should take the time to seek God quietly and know His will. The Bible says in 1^st Peter 3:12 (NIV) “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.“ Seeking the will of God also involves trusting Him to guide him in the steps that he will take and not feeling condemned about it. Allowing the doctors to treat his son is not a lack of faith but a step showing he trusts God. When walking on water, Peter set his eyes on Jesus and did not drown despite the water raging. The moment that Peter took his eyes off the master, then he began to sink (Mathew 14:22-31). Mike should take each day as a step in the waters, not knowing how he can defy gravity yet living in the assurance that as long as his trust is in God, all will be well.

Also, Mike should offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving because by doing so, the peace of God will be his portion (Philippians 4:6-7). When he is peaceful, he will think more clearly, and his hope in God over his son’s well-being will be elevated

How should he reason about trusting God and treating James in relation to what is truly honoring the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence in James’s care?

Beneficence is characterized by acts of charity, kindness, and mercy. It involves all the actions that aim at benefitting or promoting the good in other people. Preventing and removing harm are both viewed as beneficence. Jesus, in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), offered a clear picture of what beneficence is and which Mike should emulate. Mike should allow the doctors to treat James to good health because this will show beneficence in line with Jesus’ teaching.

Nonmaleficence requires that medical professionals first do not harm patients. In this case, the physician explained to Mike’s parents about their son’s condition and the immediate actions that needed to be taken to prevent further damage. The parents refused to take this option, and this decision resulted in the worsening of James’ health. Mike faces the harsh reality of jeopardizing both of his sons’ health. Nonmaleficence calls for him to allow for the kidney transplant as this is the immediate action needed to save James’ life. He should not argue with the physician, get angry at himself or his son, or even blame God, as this will only waste precious time, which literally means life and death for James.

How would a spiritual needs assessment help the physician assist Mike determine appropriate interventions for James and for his family or others involved in his care?

A spiritual needs assessment will help the physician to support Mike and his family by stressing listening with empathy; documenting the family’s spiritual preferences for visits they make to the healthcare facility in the future; incorporating the family’s precepts of their faith traditions into James’ treatment plan; and encouraging James and his family to use the resources provided by the spiritual communities and traditions for James’ overall wellness (Draper, 2012). Further, Austin et al. (2017) point out that conducting the spiritual needs assessment will strengthen the relationship between Mike and the physician. The assessment will also give the physician an opportunity to get personal growth, resiliency, and renewal when treating James.

When the physician assesses and integrates the spirituality of Mike and his family into James’ care, he will build trust with James as well as Mike and his family while at the same time broadening their relationship and increasing the effectiveness of the treatment. The practice outcomes may include but are not limited to improved adherence by the patient to the recommended lifestyle changes made by the physician or compliance with the therapeutic recommendations made by the doctor (McSherry &Ross, 2010). Further, the assessment may help James, Mike, and the family recognize the emotional and spiritual challenges that could affect their mental and physical health. Addressing the spiritual issues will allow them to tap into a coping or healing source that is effective (Ellis et al., 2013).

References

Austin, P., Macleod, R., Siddall, P., McSherry, W., & Egan, R. (2017). Spiritual care training is needed for clinical and non-clinical staff to manage patients’ spiritual needs. Journal for the Study of Spirituality, 7(1), 50-63.

Draper, P. (2012). An integrative review of spiritual assessment: implications for nursing management. Journal of Nursing Management, 20(8), 970-980.

Ellis, M. R., Thomlinson, P., Gemmill, C., & Harris, W. (2013). The spiritual needs and resources of hospitalized primary care patients. Journal of Religion and Health, 52(4), 1306-1318.

McSherry, W., & Ross, L. (Eds.). (2010). Spiritual assessment in healthcare practice. M&K Update Ltd.

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

---

Patient’s Spiritual Needs

In addition to the topic study materials, use the chart you completed and questions you answered in the Topic 3 about “Case Study: Healing and Autonomy” as the basis for your responses in this assignment.

Answer the following questions about a patient’s spiritual needs in light of the Christian worldview.

In 200-250 words, respond to the following:

• Should the physician allow Mike to continue making decisions that seem to him to be irrational and harmful to James, or would that mean a disrespect of a patient’s autonomy? Explain your rationale.

In 400-500 words, respond to the following:

• How ought the Christian think about sickness and health? How should a Christian think about medical intervention? What should Mike as a Christian do? How should he reason about trusting God and treating James in relation to what is truly honoring the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence in James’s care?

In 200-250 words, respond to the following:

• How would a spiritual needs assessment help the physician assist Mike determine appropriate interventions for James and for his family or others involved in his care?

Remember to support your responses with the topic study materials.

While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

Benchmark Information

This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies: