Catholic Health Care differs immensely from traditional healthcare practices in how it approaches the human condition with the intention to treat the soul, as well as providing spiritual services through pastoral care departments. With the incorporation of Catholicism in the workplace, health care providers are expected to “respect the human dignity and eternal destiny of all”(Directives). Furthermore, Catholic health care is inspired and driven by sacred scripture, such as “I was ill and you cared for me”(Mt 25:36). As a result, in order to extend to the spiritual nature of the person, medical expertise are combined with other forms of care to properly treat the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of the human person.
Care of Souls provides an account of Christianity's historical practices of soul care through a culmination of his many years of scholarship, teaching and clinical work.
Many people surely have heard the phrase that religion and politics simply do not mix well together, and therefore, should never be discussed in the same topic. Indeed, these two topics are extremely opinionated dependent upon one’s practicing faith and one’s political views. Religious beliefs, particularly those of the Catholic faith and Catholic hospitals, have brought about several topics that have been considered unethical to some, and may interfere with medical professionals’ duly right to provide optimal quality health care that is in the best interest of the patient and their livelihood. On the other hand, members of the Catholic Church and Catholic hospitals or institutions feel that Obama care and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have overstepped their political
Health is not limited to a physical illness that can be cured or alleviated but must encompass the entire individual. It includes spiritual, emotional, social, mental and physical aspects of the individual. All of these areas must be assessed and evaluated when caring or a patient and their families (Chitty, 2007, p. 303).
In providing basic health care in hospitals, medical practitioners should not only focus on giving physical treatment to patients but also provide spiritual and psychological assessment and management for them. This practice as suggested by many studies (see Chapman, 2003; Eberst, n.d.,) can help the hospitals develop a new method of healing that is more holistic in approach. The Joint Commission (2005) recommends spiritual assessment program which can help the medical officers to know the needs of the patients aside from the usual physical treatment. It will help them
Is it possible for two countries which are thousands of kilometers away from each other to have some similarities in their health care system? Health care system is one of the most important and fundamental sectors in any country or region all around the world. Many countries pour a major amount of their overall income to support the health care system. And the main reason behind this tremendous effort provided by the countries all around the world for the health care system is that each country wants to provide a good and high standard health care services for all the population occupying the land whether they were local citizens or Non- local citizens . This essay will compare and contrast the health care system in two wonderful countries:
The author will be discussing the issues that Catholic Hospitals face in regards to health care policy, and how the regulations of a Catholic hospital can sometimes be debilitating at providing patients different types of care. Catholic health care in the United States advances the health care ministry by caring for people and their communities. Catholic health care in the United States is comprised of more than 600 hundred hospitals and more than 1,400 long-term care and other facilities in all 50 states (Trancik, 2015). It has been analyzed that the Catholic health ministry is the largest group of nonprofit health care providers in the nation. Every day, one-in-six patients in the United States is cared for in a
Today in our society the culture of hospital mainly concentrates on treating symptoms and curing patient physically rather than treating patients as whole. A holistic approach is invented in healing hospital. This paradigm encompasses healing person as a whole by upholding harmony of mind, body and spirit. According to Erie Chapman the president and CEO of the trust, the main commitment of healing hospital is to deliver and fashion a radical loving care ("Journal of Sacred work," 2009). In this essay writer will discuss the apparatuses of healing hospital and its relation to spirituality;
The spiritual significance of illness and suffering is a topic Christians continue to grapple with, as Larchet points out in The Theology of Illness. Scripture offers a wealth of wisdom and cues for understanding illness, health, and healing from a Christian perspective. Larchet analyzes the various and often contradictory Christian positions on health and illness, revealing how attitudes have shifted over time and with changes in medical technology, practice, and ethics. For example, St. Barsanuphius presents a comprehensive analysis of the spiritual significance of illness and suffering. One view holds that illness signifies a lack of faith; another presents illness in terms of a person who is offered the opportunity to develop a stronger faith, or whose faith is being put to a test like the story of Job. Ultimately, the latter remains the most helpful way to approach illness and healing from a Christian perspective. The essence of Christian health care is that, "Healing itself, while resulting from natural processes, actually comes from God," (Larchet 116).
All throughout history nursing and medicine was based on the roots of Christianity. Many healthcare providers based their practices from the bible “I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me” (Matthew 25:36, NIV). Furthermore, spirituality is an important aspect to remain in our nursing practice. In order to provide holistic care for our patients during their healing process, which includes body, soul, and spirit, Christianity should continue to be practiced with our patients. The purpose of this paper is to discuss my personal worldview based upon the meaning of spiritualty, worldviews, prime reality, human person, the meaning of death, epistemology, ethics, and the meaning of human
For health care providers to deliver the best holistic care that patients deserve, a thorough spiritual assessment must be included during their care. With more research showing a relationship between supporting a patient’s spirituality with their health and ability to cope with illness, it is now a requirement of organizations to include a spiritual assessment to maintain accreditation with The Joint Commission. The minimum required of a spiritual assessment by The Joint Commission is to determine the patient’s religion and
All three professions reported practice philosophies that valued tradition while maintaining the status quo (current state of things) in their facilities. Most reported their overall value of maintaining a client-centered care, which is influential in supporting the used of EBP according with their practices standard operating procedures. This study lacked evidence of Christianity concept of service; the Bible teaches us the importance of the unification of body and soul. In the healthcare sector, as Christian's we should apply Jesus’ teachings and offer comfort to our fellow brothers in need. We might be able to heal a body but reaching to others empty of God unable us to truly serve in their soul healing process, though creating a rupture between body and
cure. Hospitals not only have to meet the demands of curing illnesses, but also have to accommodate the spiritual needs and comfort of patients. Hospitals are generally built and organized in the effort to help patients gain support by having the opportunity to turn towards religion during difficult times. Hospitals in general have various religious leaders on call if a patient were to request them. They also have places of worship available to serve as a sanctuary for patients. These places are equipped with sacred texts from different religions such as the Koran, the Bhagavad Gita and the Holy Bible. As described in the article, “Sacred spaces in public places: religious and spiritual plurality in health care”, “These spaces evoked a feeling of sacredness of space and time – a sense of transcendence, immanence or connectedness in the everyday” (Reimer-Kirkham 203). This tranquil feeling can help to relieve the stress of the body, being proved to help the bodies process of healing, or in the case of terminally ill patients, helps them to develop a more positive outlook on what is happening. They are able to turn towards religion as support for the difficult time.
Spirituality is a delicate topic, and some may not be open to talking about their beliefs. Spirituality is generally understood to be an essential aspect of being human (Lyndo-Lam, 2012). Assessing the spiritual needs of patients is a key component in the nursing process. A compassionate and thoughtful nurse can make a patient feel more secure, making it easier for him to express his spirituality. The participation of both patient and health care provider is vital in promoting spiritual health. The main focus of a spiritual assessment is to gather information regarding the patient’s spiritual needs in order incorporate them into the plan of care, so as to treat
The objective of this paper is to unravel the reason and manner by which nurses take care of patients as human beings. I believe that patients are best taken care of when nurses handle them in such a way that humans need to be taken care of: through a holistic and spiritual treatment. By rationalizing humanistic nursing theories with theories of human nature, such as dualism and existentialism, as well as perceiving man as an embodied spirit and a relational being, a more holistic approach is given to a patient as a human being.
The history of medicine is an extensive and distinguished one, as healers sought to alleviate illnesses and fix injuries since the dawn of humanity. Shamen and pagan priests would visit the sick and injured in their homes. They used a blend of rituals and medical techniques, to cure these ailments. Herbs, acupuncture and prayer were commonly used for the healing process. The ancient physicians also stitched wounds, set broken bones, and used opium for pain. (Shuttleworth, 2010) (Gormley, 2010) As medicine practices progressed, so did the care for people. Christianity heavily influenced this progression. The Church’s role in providing for the sick became firmly established. It partly began as the Roman Empire turned to Christianity. After 400 AD, many monasteries were constructed generally including accommodations for travelers, the poor, and the sick. The monarchs of the sixth century reinforced this and directed that buildings should be attached to cathedrals. These buildings were to be known today as hospitals. Soon enough, religious institutions provided most of the healthcare to the poor, while physicians continued to make small house calls to the upper class. The religious institutions back then are still used today and known as Catholic healthcare systems.