Examples of cultural and religious needs of patients

I have had Byzantine Catholic pts have their priest come up and bless their new baby. I got blessed along with her, as I happened to walk in while they were doing it. Father asked me if I wanted a blessing and I figured, sure, I'll take all the blessing I can get! It was nice, as the parents and priest all said a prayer over the baby and then me. I smelled nice for the rest of my shift from the holy water, too.

Also had Muslim pts who wanted the baby's father to whisper the shehadah ('There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his prophet') into the baby's ear asap after delivery. That's a really moving experience as well.

I had a patient once whose religious beliefs were ... different. Never did figure out exactly what she believed, but she kept a little statue of the goddess Bastet on her bedside table. We're a Catholic hospital, but as far as I know no one ever gave her any grief about it.

It's also important we resist the urge to lump an individual because we've cared for someone else of the same religion. Know how there is a HUGE difference in what one christian feels is necessary, to anothers? Are allllllll the christians you know all act or think just the same? No, they don't.
One christian might want a group to sit and say the rosary all around the bed together, and to eat special wafers they think are the body of Jesus.
Another christian might not share that urge at all.

It's the same for jews, muslims, hindus, etc etc. They are individuals, so just follow their own individual requests.



RE: The cultural aspects of patients, from various nations, can be fascinating, too, as we acquire more knowledge on what is customary for facing pain, or death, or many situations,
but, again, we must always strive to see the unique individual in front of us.

Slightly off topic, but, when i was young nurse, one thing that surprised me, was various nations have various words for "ouch". We learn that word, it's not universal, every nation has their own word for "ouch"......and i was so dumb as a young person, for some reason, that info surprised me. (i know, duh, right! ha ha!!)

Hmm In the Midwest some native Americans like to burn sage in the room to cleanse it of evil spirits. The facility had an expert in it and would attend any requests (there were like 4 a year) to make sure everything was safe, and everyone carried on with their day.

If it doesn’t disturb other patients or prove dangerous, I don’t care what they do. It’s my job as a nurse to reasonably provide them the tools to practice their faith.