How will your spirituality help to care for your patients with diverse backgrounds, values, and morals?
Religion and spirituality is a concept that defines and clearly outlines moral and ethical preferences that are recommended for the way one is to conduct himself/herself whenever in any moral situation. In most cases, spirituality advocates for conduct that is just fair and considerate of others, which can help form a clear basis and framework for decision making in moral and ethical situations for patients (Possamai & Brackenreg, 2009).
For instance, spirituality advocates for fairness and justice in the way I treat persons under my care, where it implores me always to endeavor to do to others what I would have them do if I were in their situation. Therefore, in this regard, being in the medical field where I am required to attend to all people, my spirituality when adhered to in a strict sense, would encourage me to be fair and considerate whenever I attend to anyone without being prejudicial or judgmental.
How do you think your patients’ spiritual beliefs help them to make decisions about their health care?
Religion is a set of doctrinal rules that have been perfected by humanity based on their relationship with a spiritual encounter. Conversely, Morals are central to each personal character, while ethics is determined by the social context in which the morals are applied. My patient’s spirituality will help them make choices in line with their core beliefs. This will hence reduce conflict on moral and ethical issues (Thuné-Boyle et al., 2011). In addition to this, spirituality advocates for fairness in the way one treats others, which would greatly influence how I handle patients; a manner is devoid of prejudice and discrimination and respectful of their rights as human beings (Galadari, 2011).
References
Galadari, A. (2011). Diversity in Heaven: Qur’anic Perspective beyond Pluralism. International Journal of Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations, 11(3), 135-150.
Possamai, A., & Brackenreg, E. (2009). Religious and spirituality diversity at a multi-campus suburban university: what type of need for chaplaincy? Journal of Higher Education Policy & Management, 31(4), 355-366.
Thuné-Boyle, I., Stygall, J., Keshtgar, M., Davidson, T., & Newman, S. (2011). The Impact of a Breast Cancer Diagnosis on Religious/Spiritual Beliefs and Practices in the UK. Journal of Religion & Health, 50(2), 203-218.