Spiritual Beliefs

[pugluvr310]

Hi everyone! I was looking for anyone with a faith/religious background other than Christian to answer a few questions for a school paper I have to write. It doesn't have to be long drawn out answers. Anything will work, and it doesn't matter what your profession is, anyone/everyone will do! Here are the questions...

(1) What is your spiritual perspective on healing?

(2) What are the critical components of healing, such as prayer, meditation, belief, etc?

(3) What is important to people of a particular faith when cared for by health care providers whose spiritual beliefs differ from their own?

(4) How do patients view health care providers who are able to let go of their own beliefs in the interest of the beliefs and practices of the patient?

Thank you so much for your help with this! I work nights on a relatively small unit in not a very diverse area of town so it's hard to find people to interview that don't have Chrisitian backgrounds. Thanks again in advance for everyone's help!

[UnionRN2]

I don't know if this will work for you, but I am an atheist and I am a RN.

1. I do not have a "spiritual perspective" on healing. Most of the patients I care for believe their prayers will be answered and they will be healed. The overwhelming majority aren't healed (heart disease and cancer don't disappear). I believe in science and evidence-based research to heal people.

2. I think the critical components of healing are having a good doctor to diagnose you and to get good nursing care to give you the best possible conditions in which healing may take place.

3. I have never had a patient "ask" me about my beliefs. Interestly enough, they always assume I am christian and state so. I choose not to correct them because I need my job. My co-workers find the fact that people assume I am christian amusing.

4. I take care of people who are of different faiths. I accept a person's need to have a belief in a god of some kind. I just don't want them to waste my time and try to convince me about the wonders of their religion. I have taken the crucifix off the wall for buddist patients, turned beds in the direction of mecca, and provided assistance to a family performing coining. I actually find the non-christian people very thankful that I respect them and understand. My chrisitan co-workers many times are the ones who are not tolerant and will not care for patients of "other" religions.

Hope this helps. If not, pitch it out.

Good luck on your paper.

[pugluvr310]

Thank you very much for your reply Union. That does help my studys and I appreciate your time! Thanks again!

[pugluvr310]

I need to get at least 3 interviews so if anyone else has any opinions or wouldn't mind taking a moment to answer the questions that would be great! Thanks!!