Healthcare In Jewish Religion Essay

In taking care of a patient, it is important for nurses to respect the patient, their beliefs, and their right to autonomy. Provision One in the Code of Ethics states “the nurse practices with compassion and respect for inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person” (ANA, 2015, p. 7). With a Jehovah’s Witness patient, the nurse must first acquire information regarding their religion and how it may impact their care and their wishes related to their healthcare. Once their patient’s beliefs are noted and understood, the nurse must establish a professional and therapeutic relationship with their patient without bias to their religion and the associated beliefs. The duty to act without bias can be found outlined in Provision 1.2 (ANA, 2015).

| Jewish do not eat pork or shellfish. Other meats must be slaughtered according to Jewish rituals (Kosher). Certain foods must not come in contact with each other. (use of separate plates/cutlery)

Nurses have the responsibility of caring for a diverse group of people. These people come from different cultures, races, and religious backgrounds. Religion plays a major role in patient care and has for many years. Cultural competency is a major component of nursing practices. Understanding culture is imperative in knowing what is important to a patient and how to address his or her healthcare needs. Understanding culture is also important when determining what suggestions to make about interventions for treatment. Culture is defined as many people interacting and sharing with one another their patterns of behavior, beliefs and values (Burkhardt, G. & Nathaniel, A., 2014).

According to Culture Vision (n.d.) Jewish dogma teaches that “It is everyone 's duty to maintain and preserve his or her own good health (both physical and mental)”. This does not mean that even Orthodox Jews avoid medical assistance. It merely means that their approach may be limited by Jewish beliefs. For example, Elyssa states, “more religious Jews may want to consult a rabbi with certain medical decisions, especially if more ethically questionable. Also, even Jewish people who strictly observe the Sabbath are able to break it for life saving measures. However, the needed medical treatment is not lifesaving they may well refuse to participate in it on the Jewish Sabbath. For example, a patient in the hospital might prefer to delay a test or even a procedure if it is not literally emergent and likely necessary to preserve life and health permanently” (E. Jankelovitz, person communication, January 20, 2017).

Accommodations must be made in the healthcare setting to allow adequate time and space for Muslim patients to carry out their prayers. “Muslims pray five times a day (at dawn, midday, afternoon, sunset, and night) to ask Allah for guidance or strength” (Al-Oraibi, 2009.) When Muslim patients feel that their religious rights are not being respected, it can greatly affect patient outcomes. Time is not the only factor to consider when accommodating Muslim patients during prayer. There is a certain ritual that Muslims must practice before prayer. Washing facilities must be made available to them so they can perform a ritual washing of their head and extremities to attain a state of purity (Al-Oraibi, 2009.) Sometimes Muslims are too sick to get up, and they must perform their prayer in bed; in this case it is imperative that the bed is clean (Mughees, 2006.) The healthcare provider should not bother the Muslim patient during prayer. If possible, a prayer room should be made available, and the direction of the Mecca should be pointed out, as all Muslims face toward Mecca for prayer (Mughees, 2006.)

What is Judaism? Who are Jews? Judaism is considered one of the oldest and most popular monotheistic religions today. Judaism’s followers are called Jews and they have been through many tough challenges and trials but are still able to proudly identify themselves as Jews. Jewish beliefs, customs, history, holidays, symbols, and the holocaust are just a few of the things that make Jews who they are.

Hasidic Judaism is a branch of Orthodox Judaism established in Eastern Europe during the 1800’s that put spirituality and a connection with God through mysticism at the forefront of its beliefs. In order to understand Hasidic Judaism, one must understand that Judaism is not only a religion; it is also a philosophy and a way of life for the Jewish people. One of the oldest monotheistic religions, Judaism has evolved over the years since the time of the founding fathers. Like any culture or religion, however, Jews have never been without conflict or disagreement amongst its people. Schisms amongst Jews over long periods of time have led to a branching out of sects and Jewish institutions. What led to the separation of denominations within

Different religious groups have different believe system in the provision of the healthcare. The health personnel such as doctors and nurses should be aware of the religious beliefs of their patients for effectively delivering medical care. In provision of medical care, religious faith and beliefs of the patient is incorporated with the scientific medical care in offering a holistic medical to the patients. The medical personnel should take into the consideration the religious belief of the patient in the course of offering medical care to the patient. The

Working in health care you are going to be experiencing many different cultures, religions, and beliefs. When dealing with patients from different cultural you need to be aware of what

Additional research may be required on the Enrolled Nurse’s part, this is for the benefit of the Enrolled Nurse to gain an understanding of the patient’s culture and apply that level of understanding to the patient. This could be as simple as allowing time for religious practices, for example praying at certain times of the day, or providing appropriate food choices. This action on the Enrolled Nurse’s part is also mentioned in the Code of Ethics that all nurses adhere to within the work place as quoted below;

In the healthcare profession, there are multiple cultural/religious differences in the world. In the United States, we have multiple religions from countries around the world, In the states a main religion is Christianity while around the world a large and growing religions are Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism.

Without proper training, nurses may deliver care without understanding how health beliefs and cultural practices influence the way advice is received. Ineffective communication could potentially cause stress upon both parties and burden of care can result in a breakdown in the relationship between the care provider and the patient, spiraling down into situations of neglect, abuse, and worsening health. Asking about patient’s religious, cultural, and ethnic customs help nurses engage patients so that together, they can devise treatment plans that are consistent with the patient’s values. With this being done, a culturally competent healthcare system can help improve health outcomes and quality of care. It can also contribute to the elimination of racial and ethnic health

I learned a lot of facts about Judaism that I had previously been ignorant to. I had no idea that we (Christians & Jews) maintained the same bible (The Old Testament) but that we interpreted certain events differently, such as Adam and Eve. “In Judaism, each and every human being is free to choose good or evil because each person stands before God in the same relationship that Adam and Eve did” (Esposito 77). I was unaware that Judaism did not believe in “original sin.” I had no knowledge of the fact that Jews did not believe that Christ was resurrected from the dead. I found it interesting how Jews have split into separate groups – Reform Jews, who believe that Judaism is a cultural inheritance and that neither the laws nor beliefs are

It is also important for the nurse to be more aware of these certain situations and to not impose their beliefs improperly during healthcare of a patient. In contrast, it would be wrong to divide an individual from their own religion, especially in the medical field, since religion shapes their morals. For that reason, it is not a question of whether a nurse should bring their beliefs to the bedside of a patient, but how they should (Fowler & Marsha,

Health in all cultures is an important aspect of life. A person’s cultural background, religion and/or beliefs, greatly influences a person’s health and their response to medical care (Spector, 2004). These diverse cultures guide decisions made in daily life; what food eaten, living arrangements made, medications taken and medical advice listened to. A nurse must be knowledgeable and respectful of these diverse cultures and understand their importance when providing care. This understanding helps to build a strong nurse/patient relationship, increasing patient compliance, which ensures positive outcomes are met. Patients who are satisfied