Patient’s Spiritual Needs: Decision-Making and Principle of Autonomy
In addition to the topic Resources, 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 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 Resources.
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. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
Benchmark Information
This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies:
BS in Health Sciences 1.2; BS Nursing (RN to BSN ) 5.2
Assess for the spiritual needs and provide appropriate interventions for individuals, families, and groups.
Attachments
PHI-413V-RS-T3T5CaseStudyHealingAndAutonomy.docx
SUBMIT ASSIGNMENT
Case Study: Healing and Autonomy
Mike and Joanne are the parents of James and Samuel, identical twins born 8 years ago. James is currently suffering from acute glomerulonephritis, kidney failure. James was originally brought into the hospital for complications associated with a strep throat infection. The spread of the A streptococcus infection led to the subsequent kidney failure. James’s condition was acute enough to warrant immediate treatment. Usually cases of acute glomerulonephritis caused by strep infection tend to improve on their own or with an antibiotic. However, James also had elevated blood pressure and enough fluid buildup that required temporary dialysis to relieve. The attending physician suggested immediate dialysis. After some time of discussion with Joanne, Mike informs the physician that they are going to forego the dialysis and place their faith in God. Mike and Joanne had been moved by a sermon their pastor had given a week ago, and also had witnessed a close friend regain mobility when she was prayed over at a healing service after a serious stroke. They thought it more prudent to take James immediately to a faith healing service instead of putting James through multiple rounds of dialysis. Yet, Mike and Joanne agreed to return to the hospital after the faith healing services later in the week, and in hopes that James would be healed by then. Two days later the family returned and was forced to place James on dialysis, as his condition had deteriorated. Mike felt perplexed and tormented by his decision to not treat James earlier. Had he not enough faith? Was God punishing him or James? To make matters worse, James's kidneys had deteriorated such that his dialysis was now not a temporary matter and was in need of a kidney transplant. Crushed and desperate, Mike and Joanne immediately offered to donate one of their own kidneys to James, but they were not compatible donors. Over the next few weeks, amidst daily rounds of dialysis, some of their close friends and church members also offered to donate a kidney to James. However, none of them were tissue matches. James’s nephrologist called to schedule a private appointment with Mike and Joanne. James was stable, given the regular dialysis, but would require a kidney transplant within the year. Given the desperate situation, the nephrologist informed Mike and Joanne of a donor that was an ideal tissue match, but as of yet had not been considered—James’s brother Samuel. Mike vacillates and struggles to decide whether he should have his other son Samuel lose a kidney or perhaps wait for God to do a miracle this time around. Perhaps this is where the real testing of his faith will come in? Mike reasons, “This time around it is a matter of life and death. What could require greater faith than that?
Benchmark - Patient’s Spiritual Needs: Case Analysis
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Benchmark - Patient’s Spiritual Needs: Case Analysis
Introduction
This essay explores the dynamics of spiritual needs in healthcare practice. It uncovers the different challenges that can interfere with the delivery of appropriate care to a patient like James. The events of the case reveal the need for healthcare providers to provide proper direction to protect the rights of vulnerable patients. Thus, the essay illustrates the importance of balancing autonomy and beneficence in Christian perspectives.
Decision-Making and Principle of Autonomy
James’ health worsened because his parent decided to exercise their faith and belief that a faith healing service was more preferential to the professional advice from a nephrologist. This option denied the patient an opportunity to receive care, leading to more harm. According to Varkey (2021), such a situation presents a moral dilemma because the healthcare provider’s efforts to respect the wishes of the decision-makers in this context also violate the patient’s rights. Considering that Mike, the father continues to debate whether he should continue with the treatment recommended or test his faith in God further, the physician should intervene to prevent further aggravation of Mike’s health.
Ethical principles of health compel healthcare providers to act in the best interest of the patients at all times. Such an aspect may create conflict, primarily due to interference of spiritual beliefs that undermine professional advice, leading to health deterioration. In the context of James, the healthcare provider is aware that Mike is making irrational and harmful decisions and appears conflicted between choosing his faith or professional options. Such an aspect requires the physician to exercise the obligation to act for James’s benefit by eradicating viewpoints that will cause further harm and rescue him from imminent danger under the principle of beneficence (Varkey, 2021). Competing moral principles demonstrate the need to override the concept of autonomy in this case without appearing disrespectful since the patient cannot act autonomously.
Thus, the nephrologist protects James from further harm by overriding Mike’s autonomy as the decision-maker. Exercising this mandate affirms the principle of beneficence.
Decision-Making, Christian Perspective, and the Principles of Beneficence and Nonmaleficence
Christians should understand that sickness and health are regular occurrences in a person’s life. McTavish (2018) explores different incidents about saints such as St. Teressa to emphasize the need to change one’s perspective and acknowledge the value of appreciating good health, respecting and resigning to the will of God without negative thoughts that the emergence of a sickness translates to punishment. Recognizing this aspect is fundamental for individuals to understand the true intention of God and to stay aware of the expected reactions when someone falls ill.
When Christians gain a deeper understanding of sickness and health, they start to respect the need for medical intervention. McTavish (2018) illustrates that prayers during sickness are fundamental because they represent one’s faith Jesus emphasizes as the primary cause of healing in his miracles. However, they should also avoid following their faith selectively and instead adhere to the teaching in the book of Sirach that highlights the need to combine prayers with the recommendations of a doctor because recovery is also in the hands of such professionals. The teaching also adds that ignoring advice from such experts is tantamount to sin (McTavish, 2018). As a result, Christians should acknowledge medical intervention as part ...