Spiritual Considerations in Disaster Situations
Both human-caused and natural disasters cause significant stress and trauma to people because they destroy their lives unpredictably and make them lose control of the situation. Among the spiritual considerations surrounding a tragedy for individuals, communities, and healthcare providers are the inability to find emotional support, lack of control of one’s own life, loss of hope, and fear of death. Other ramifications might take many different forms, such as doubting one’s religious beliefs, turning to spiritual activities for comfort, or going through periods of spiritual development or misery (Lalani et al., 2021). In all cases, a disaster makes people lose inner stability, which affects their balance and ability to react adequately.
Impact on Individuals
A disaster may trigger a spiritual crisis in some people because they feel God left them. They can wonder why such a catastrophe struck and why it afflicted them or their loved ones. They might also seek consolation and strength from their faith, looking to their religious practices and convictions for guidance and reassurance. Following the traumatic event, communities frequently look to their common spiritual traditions and beliefs for comfort and rehabilitation (Helming, 2023). It may involve prayers, group prayer, or similar spiritual gatherings.
Effect on Communities
Nevertheless, a crisis can also create disagreements within the community, especially if people have different opinions about what caused the catastrophe or how they ought to respond to it. In a disaster, medical professionals may also suffer from spiritual consequences. During grief and loss, in particular, they could find it difficult to reconcile their religious views and inquiries (Helming, 2023). At the same time, they could discover that the difficulties of recovering from disasters are easier for them to handle because of the resilience and power that their religious convictions give them.
The Role of a Community Health Nurse in Disaster Management
A community health nurse can apply the Christian worldview during disaster management because it gives them hope and the power to overcome difficulties and rely on God’s will. They can offer kind, all-encompassing care that considers individuals impacted by the tragedy’s spiritual, emotional, and physical requirements. One way to do this is to provide spiritual assistance, which includes prayer or spiritual guidance when necessary. They may also serve as a representative of the community’s needs, ensuring that everyone in the group gets the assistance and care they require (Lalani et al., 2021). It embodies Christian love for others and cares for the weak and disadvantaged.
Nurses can take care of themselves by acknowledging that the calamity can also impact them and might require spiritual care and mental and physical assistance. It aligns with the Christian perspective on taking care of oneself and the knowledge that taking responsibility is a prerequisite to properly caring for others (Lalani et al., 2021). Lastly, they can help their colleagues by providing practical help, spiritual encouragement, and motivation. This embodies the Christian ideals of connection and assistance to one another.
Applying the Christian Worldview in Disaster Response
A nurse working in community health may employ the Christian worldview in all of the manners above to provide holistic, caring assistance. Faith strengthens them to continue living in the critical situation and help others. These actions are connected with the religious in addition to the mental and physical needs of individuals impacted by the disaster. It is possible to apply these skills to the nurse, their colleagues, the community in general, and every patient in particular.
References
Helming, M. A. (2023). Nurse coaching: A new role for Christian nurses. Journal of Christian Nursing: A Quarterly Publication of Nurses Christian Fellowship, 40(1), 11–12. Web.
Lalani, N., Drolet, J. L., McDonald-Harker, C., Brown, M. R. G., Brett-MacLean, P., Agyapong, V. I. O., Greenshaw, A. J., & Silverstone, P. H. (2021). Nurturing spiritual resilience to promote post-disaster community recovery: The 2016 Alberta Wildfire in Canada.Frontiers in Public Health, 9. Web.