Patient's Spiritual Needs

Patient’s Spiritual Needs – A Case Analysis
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Patient’s Spiritual Needs – A Case Analysis
Introduction
The case study analyzes decisions that Mike and Joanne need to make concerning their son’s (James) medical intervention. Mike and Joanne are Christians and believe in spiritual intervention as part of the healing process. Consequently, they delayed their son’s medical treatment hoping for God’s healing hand. The couple’s decision to delay medical treatment will be evaluated from Christianity perspectives. This paper also investigates the required physician’s action when faced with clients such as Mike and Joanne, who embrace the Christian worldview concerning treatment. Further, the patient autonomy issue will be investigated within a Christian worldview context.
Allowing or not, mike continue making irrational decisions
The doctor should not allow James’ parents to make illogical decisions that could adversely impact James’s health. Despite the requirement that health care professionals respect client’s autonomy regarding their minor’s care, the doctor has ethical and legal duty to intervene in contexts that are potentially detrimental to the minor (Katz & Webb, 2016). The parents refused and postponed the medically required therapy due to their spiritual beliefs that James’ could miraculously get healed. This decision resulted in James’ health deterioration to thresholds of him being placed in regular dialysis and kidney transplants. Healthcare practitioners have to protect vulnerable minors from healthcare neglect. When medical professionals encounter a child facing death or disability risk due to patients’ decisions, actions, or inactions, they are legally and professionally required to conduct life-saving interventions rather than adhere to parents’ objections. Physicians need to report that the child’s life is in danger and thus require urgent medical intervention. Pediatric medical professionals have legal and ethical duties to make effective decisions and provide care tailored for pediatric patient benefit instead of what the parents desire or require (Katz & Webb, 2016). Physicians must take prompt action when they think that patient’s dignity, comfort, or safety risks are compromised (Kyratsis et al., 2016). That said, physicians are required to promote and protect patients and public health.
How a Christian ought to think about health and sickness
Religion’s perceived role in illness, health, and healing constitute a fundamental influence on medical care behavioral inclinations and individuals’ beliefs. Christianity has diverse denominations that embrace various beliefs concerning health and sickness. In this vein, it is increasingly challenging to outline a specific belief concerning illness and health and uniformly applies to all adherents. Christians believe that being medically fit is compensation for being morally upright or doing good deeds. In contrast, sickness constitutes some form of punishment for an individual’s evil deeds or even as a test to their belief and faith in God. Indeed, Christians undergo tri...