Spiritually and culturally appropriate Nursing-Care

Spiritually and culturally appropriate Nursing-Care

Introduction

In ancient times, spiritual and cultural care was an important element in the health and healing. However, with the rising emphasis on the scientific and technological strategies, healthcare is more secularized. For this reason, there has been significant generalized disclosure among people, as well as, health care professionals. This disclosure is widely reflected in the medical and scholarly literature, in respect to the ethical issues related to inclusion of spiritual care in the clinical practice of nurses (Polzer Casarez & Engebretson, 2012, pp. 2099-2107).

Even though, this issues apply to all health care providers, including clinicians; the nursing care is emphasized more than any other. The reason for this is the foundational role of nurses in providing care of the whole patient over the entire continuum of health-illness. This provides the nurses to have a somewhat different relationship with their patients than any other member of a typical health care team. On the contrary, for the patients spiritual issues have a significant part for the patient at the time of illness, and particularly end-stage diseases. Nurses have played a key role in highlighting the spiritual concerns of patients to be included in the holistic health care. They are expected to employ actively spiritual and religious interventions to promote health outcomes. They should at least be able to acknowledge and facilitate these worldviews. While this leads to secularization of medicine in the social aspect, there is also a more 'liberal state,' prominent in United States, which promotes individualism and freedom while avoiding judgmental issues on spiritual beliefs. In some cases, this may be interpreted as avoiding every issue related to spirituality. Nonetheless, nurses are expected to take the approach of being neutral observers. In many times, nurses are seen to bring their personal beliefs related to spirituality in to their profession as care-givers. This essay aims to analyze ethical issues that come forward in incorporating spirituality and religion, in the clinical field of offering care to their patients (Polzer Casarez & Engebretson, 2012, pp. 2099-2107).

Discussion

Aboriginal people & Culture

Aboriginal is a rich and diverse culture. Whether they are living a contemporary and professional life, or value more traditional lifestyles, the core values remain the same throughout the nation. These people as a nation highly value for family and kinship. Culture is deeply embedded in their minds, hearts and spirits. Culture in Aboriginal spirituality take its course from the time of creation and follows the natural laws laid by their spiritual forefathers. These laws are based on natural balance, harmony, and above all, respect for humanity, land, and all living things. These laws bind the Aboriginal people, from diverse cultures, to combine as one. These people offers rich cultural practices, including ceremonies, songs, and art. They ensure to preserve the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of all living things, and humanity as a whole. Their culture is believed to be ever evolving, comprising of the past, present, and future (Indigenous palliative care resource, ...