"The Jesus Factor"

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A collegue of mine in the ICU is soon moving to Home Health for several reasons, both personal and otherwise. At the nurses station the other day, she and one of the doctors were talking, and she mentioned to him, regarding one of his patients, that "The Jesus factor was all squared away". This co-worker is a very active Christian and so is the MD in question. I asked her what that meant and she said that she liked to make sure where people were going when they die. She said that that was one reason why she wanted to do home health and hospice, was to help people find Jesus before they die.

She is an awesome, awesome nurse, but I was always thought that this is not ethical. I would never discuss religion with a patient unless they wanted to and I don't think it's correct to try to convert them. She's basically going to be evangelizing her Home Health patients. I find that disturbing.

Specializes in I think I've done it all.
I have never understood why it is such a federal case when a Christian ( or other religion) wants to talk about Jesus. He's obviously important to this woman. I mean no one would get bent out of shape if she believed yoga would make someone's life better and told all her patients how they could start a yoga regimine, or if she was an avid environmentalist and encouraged her pts to go to an Earth day rally. As long as she has her pts permission to talk to them about Jesus, what's the big deal?

While yes, yoga is healthful and would be an appropriate suggestion in the nursing line of work (for a patient who is appropriate for it), bringing up anything such as religion or even recommending an earth day rally because YOU are an avid environmentalist is trying to put what you believe onto your patient. This is ok in everyday intereactions with friends or acquaintances, mind you, as then people can make up their own minds what they want to think about it, but I personally see the nurse patient relationship as something sacred (and I DON'T mean this in the religious context!) and it is not our place to try and suggest what we think is best.

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jlsRN- It really depends on whether the patient or the guardian gave permission for the nurse to share about Jesus. However, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires healthcare workers to offer spiritual care. In other words, it IS ethical to incorporate the "Jesus Factor" into medicine. According to the USA Weekend magazine poll in 1996, 63% thought doctors and nurses should discuss spiritual faith with patients. Koenig, Smiley & Gonzales's "Religion, Health, and Aging" (1998) indicates that half of the patients would like their physician and nurses to pray with them, and patients would like physicians and nurses to participate in giving spiritual care.

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However, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires healthcare workers to offer spiritual care. In other words, it IS ethical to incorporate the "Jesus Factor" into medicine.

spiritual care is not, is not, IS NOT synonymous with the Jesus Factor!

it is only ethical if the pt clearly states s/he believes in Jesus.

it takes sensitivity and alot of discretion when pursuing this w/your pt.

you need to research the components of spiritual distress.

you're doing your pts a tremendous disservice if you think it's even about the Jesus Factor.:madface:

leslie

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.
spiritual care is not, is not, IS NOT synonymous with the Jesus Factor!

it is only ethical if the pt clearly states s/he believes in Jesus.

it takes sensitivity and alot of discretion when pursuing this w/your pt.

you need to research the components of spiritual distress.

you're doing your pts a tremendous disservice if you think it's even about the Jesus Factor.:madface:

leslie

:yeahthat:

Thank you Leslie!

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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
spiritual care is not, is not, IS NOT synonymous with the Jesus Factor!

it is only ethical if the pt clearly states s/he believes in Jesus.

it takes sensitivity and alot of discretion when pursuing this w/your pt.

you need to research the components of spiritual distress.

you're doing your pts a tremendous disservice if you think it's even about the Jesus Factor.:madface:

leslie

Actually thats nicely put

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Specializes in I think I've done it all.

Leslie hit the nail on the head!!!!

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a position statement on spiritual care from the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association.

in bold, "One's own values cannot be imposed on patients and families."

http://www.hpna.org/pdf/PositionStatement_SpiritualCare.pdf

leslie

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last link, i promise. :)

Ethical Boundaries of Spiritual Care

Medical Journal of Australia

"The clincal setting is not the place for proselytising, and the health care professional role does not properly include such activity."

http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/186_10_210507/win11079_fm.html

leslie

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Specializes in Telemetry/Med Surg.

Thanks for the links Leslie

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Thanks for the links Leslie

you are welcome, suzy.

understanding this thread is finally dying down, i thought it appropriate to provide these links.

it's not just a matter of opinion.

these are seemingly universal guidelines: 1 from this country, another from australia.

leslie

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Specializes in Cardiac Care, ICU.
While yes, yoga is healthful and would be an appropriate suggestion in the nursing line of work (for a patient who is appropriate for it), bringing up anything such as religion or even recommending an earth day rally because YOU are an avid environmentalist is trying to put what you believe onto your patient. This is ok in everyday intereactions with friends or acquaintances, mind you, as then people can make up their own minds what they want to think about it, but I personally see the nurse patient relationship as something sacred (and I DON'T mean this in the religious context!) and it is not our place to try and suggest what we think is best.

The point was that people get pushy about alot of things, religion being one but certainly not the only one and nobody ever says "those environmentalists should not be allowed to tell people about global warming. It just makes people feel guilty and creates conflict." We can't restrict people talking b/c we don/t like their subject matter. As professionals, we should refrain from pushing any personal view on pts, but we shouldn't be refused the right to ever talk about something we take a personal interest in AS LONG AS IT IS PT. DIRECTED.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
As professionals, we should refrain from pushing any personal view on pts, but we shouldn't be refused the right to ever talk about something we take a personal interest in AS LONG AS IT IS PT. DIRECTED.

I can't disagree with you at all. However, I realize however most people just want to hear themsevles talk and I usually keep my opinions about things that interest me to myself when working. This includes stuff like gun control (for), abortion (against), gay marriage (well duh), Iraqi War (against, but support the troops) and religion. If on the off chance a patient is really interested in my views I still back up and say "I don't know, what do you think?" Rarely do I have long conversations about such topics with patients, if ever. That's just my policy, but in no way should we be mandated not to talk about things the patient is interested in talking about.

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