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Spiritual and religious beliefs can play a strong role in people’s lives especially when it comes to serious health decisions, such as life and death decisions

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Spiritual and religious beliefs can play a strong role in people’s lives especially when it comes to serious health decisions, such as life and death decisions. For example, if one’s spiritual beliefs dictate that disease and physical afflictions can be cured through prayer or other faith rituals, this can quickly escalate to serious conflict with provider recommendations - or even the law. Actions that are in opposition to religious belief can be labeled as sinful and the consequences perceived as saving one’s body but condemning one’s soul for eternity. For this reason, spiritual beliefs can be a complicated and controversial issue in delivery of health services.

As with previous discussions, we will approach the discussion questions as a group starting with the first question and working our way through the list of questions one at a time. As each question is answered fully, we will move to the next. One week goes by quickly so please join the discussion as soon as you begin the readings and come back to the discussion area often to follow the postings and add to the discussion. Note: the first question is asking for your opinion.

In your opinion: Keeping in mind the personal and sensitive nature of spiritual beliefs, discuss the following:

• Are there circumstances where medical intervention should be implemented when it is in opposition to an individual’s spiritual beliefs? Please explain and feel free to share any situations you may have encountered in your work and/or personal life.

Now, let’s apply this week’s learning materials to the following questions. Remember to support your statements with the course materials (required) and any outside resources you may choose to bring in. Let’s start with the first application question:

• There are situations where the patient/consumer is a child or another vulnerable individual such as an older adult, person with a cognitive impairment, or someone who cannot safely represent themselves. In these situations, who should make faith-based or belief-driven health decisions for them? What are some of the opportunities and challenges in spiritually appropriate care when surrogates are making health decisions?
• What are health organizations doing to provide spiritually appropriate care to their patients/consumers? Is this enough, or is there more the health profession could be doing?

Consult the Discussion Posting Guide for information about writing your discussion posts. It is recommended that you write your post in a document first. Check your work and correct any spelling or grammatical errors. When you are ready to make your initial post, click on "Reply." Then copy/paste the text into the message field, and click “Post Reply.”

To respond to a peer, click “Reply” beneath her or his post and continue as with an initial post.

This discussion will be graded using a rubric. Please review this rubric prior to beginning the discussion. You can view the rubric on the Course Rubrics page within the Start Here module. All discussions combined are worth 35% of your final course grade.

Completion of this discussion assesses the following outcomes:

• Investigate the role of spirituality in guiding health beliefs and practices. (CO3)
• Examine personal beliefs relative to spirituality and health care. (CO3)
• Analyze conflicts related to spiritual beliefs and the healthcare delivery system. (CO2)
• Critique strategies employed by health organizations to provide spiritually appropriate services. (CO4)