REPLY 1
The health care profession can experience a difficulty and can become frustrated with the possible reservations of Sister Mary. There are other things to consider with the plan of care and possibility of introducing different care approaches with the results of diagnostic procedures performed on Sister Mary.
An example of a common religious practice discrepancy that you may encounter is that although most Catholics generally don’t support the use of birth control, many Catholics do use contraceptives. Because some Catholic patients use contraceptives, when providing discharge instructions after childbirth or during the first 6-week check-up, you may want to ask if the patient wishes to discuss birth control options.
When providing care for an observant Catholic patient, be aware that birthing techniques, the use of pain management drugs during child birth, breastfeeding, circumcision, and immunizations are all issues that the Catholic Church leaves to the discretion of the parents.
If a patient is N.P.O., get permission from the healthcare provider before the patient is offered communion. The patient may want to keep a crucifix or rosary beads with him or her during surgery or a medical procedure if possible.
Most Catholics believe that if patients perceive that they risk death during a medical procedure, they or their family may request sacraments, last rites, and blessings to be performed by a Catholic priest. Baptism may be requested, especially for an infant who may be dying,
No special preparation of the body is required after death. The Catholic Church endorses burial as opposed to cremation, but no longer forbids the practice. The church requires that cremated remains not be scattered, kept at home, or subdivided into other containers because this would be considered desecration. Burial at sea is permitted if the remains stay in a heavy, sealed container.
Reference:
Falvo, D. (2011) Effective Patient Education: A guide to Increased Adherence. Retrieved from https://viewer.gcu.edu/RQBKXW
REPLY2
Patients come from diverse backgrounds with different cultures, traditions, values, and religious practices. Healthcare professionals require cultural knowledge to meet the social, cultural, and spiritual needs of patients. In the given case scenario, the patient is a Roman Catholic nun. Thus, a healthcare professional working with Sister Mary can show uncertainty due to the religious beliefs and preferences of the patient and need the assistance of practicing Roman Catholic in handling Sister Mary.
The primary concern when working with Sister Mary is religious differences. Healthcare professionals must consider the religious beliefs of the patient and their impact on the care process (Balzer-Riley, 2020). Patients practicing the Roman Catholic religion keep sacred objects, such as a rosary, on them. Sister Mary will need to remove the items when undergoing tests. A healthcare professional with adequate Roman Catholic information will ensure the objects are kept near the patient during testing. One without awareness will keep the religious pieces away from the patient, which might influence the caring process.
Notably, Sister Mary must have a physical assessment. The process will require the inspection of various body parts of the patient. A healthcare professional might be reluctant to evaluate Sister Mary due to perceived barriers, such as modesty and gender differences, to physical testing (Potter, Perry, Stockert, & Hall, 2020). Thus, they will need to ask and receive confirmation from Sister Mary before proceeding with the examination.
Healthcare professionals working with Sister Mary can receive assistance from Roman Catholic colleagues, Sister Mary’s family, and fellow nuns. The team helps the healthcare team understand the religious beliefs and needs of the patient, which is essential in providing patient-focused and culturally competent care (Kersey-Matusiak, 2013). Moreover, they will offer emotional and psychological support to promote the wellbeing of the patient. Therefore, psychosocial support helps the patient feel more comfortable, lessens anxiety, and improves care quality and outcomes.
Balzer-Riley, J. (2020). Communication in nursing (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Kersey-Matusiak, G. (2013). Delivering Culturally Competent Nursing Care, Second Edition. New York, NY: Springer.
Potter, P., Perry, A., Stockert, P., & Hall, A. (2020). Fundamentals of nursing (10th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.