The provision of patient-centered care implies respecting patients’ cultural beliefs and ensuring the best health outcomes for this individual. In many situations, these two goals can be difficult or impossible to achieve. Johnstone (2015) notes that nursing professionals advocate effectively but still remember about their patients’ right to autonomy. This paper dwells upon a case of a married couple, Mike and Joanne, who have 8-year-old identical twins, Samuel and James. James has an acute condition, kidney failure, but his parents refuse from dialysis that could relieve the patient’s condition. The case will be considered in terms of the Christian beliefs and values as well as the overall nursing ethics principles.
Major Issues Under the Christian Vision
Under the Christian vision, several issues related to the case in question arise. First, the parents have to decide whether they place their faith in God or rely on healthcare professionals and the advances of the secular society (Meilaender, 2013). They will make a decision of whether they accept some treatment or will pray and hope God will heal their child. The parents should also decide whether they will see their son’s illness as a punishment or trial. They should also make it clear to themselves whether they place a higher value on their son’s life or their faith in God. Furthermore, Mike is made to reflect on his right to ask Samuel to give his kidney to his brother.
Physician’s Role
On the one hand, healthcare professionals give the oath to focus on the most positive patient outcomes. The primary goal is to cure and heal people, as well as teach them to live with some health conditions if necessary. However, healthcare practitioners also have to respect their patients’ right to decide. Patient autonomy is as important as any other aspect of care provision, so healthcare staff should align their personal values with this principle (Johnstone, 2015).
Therefore, the physician cannot deprive Mike of his right to make decisions even though the healthcare professional might find Mike’s actions irrational. At the same time, it is pivotal for the physician to discuss the harm of certain decisions and try to make sure that parents will choose the most beneficial options for their son (Saunders, 2015). The doctor should try to convince rather than allow anything.
Treatment Refusal, Organ Donation, Patient Autonomy, and Christian Values
The case in question is associated with quite common issues related to Christian views on medical treatment, organ donation, patient autonomy. As mentioned above, patient autonomy is one of the primary ethical standards to concentrate on (Saunders, 2015). Treatment refusal is a common practice as Christians may have fears concerning some services or find some procedures inappropriate. These cultural peculiarities should be respected, so healthcare staff can only advocate and try to convince the parents to consider certain options. Organ donation is not forbidden within the scope of Christian values as it is associated with giving and sacrifices that are central to this religion (Meilaender, 2013).
However, this clinical procedure is linked to some dilemmas for the recipient of the organ. For example, the belief that the human body is God’s temple is often interpreted as the need to keep one’s body without any intrusions or modifications. Therefore, Christian patients have to deal with this duality and try to make decisions that will be consistent with their values and religious doctrines.
Mike’s Possible Reasoning
When thinking about health and sickness, the Christian will focus on such domains as God’s highest power and knowledge, life and death, enduring trial and punishment, faith and trust. Christians will pray and ask God to heal them or their close ones. However, in many cases, Christians accept progress and believe that healthcare professionals or medical procedures are the tools God gives people to use. It is also noteworthy that human life is the highest value that has to be cherished (Saunders, 2015). Therefore, Christians will agree to many procedures in order to ensure that human life will be saved. Again, many Christians believe that God has ultimate wisdom and can decide who lives and who dies.
Being a devout Christian, Mike has to reason in terms of the values mentioned above. This situation is quite remarkable as the patient does not make a decision that defines their own future. Mike has to find the most appropriate solution for his son or sons. On the one hand, Mike should trust in God and believe that He will heal their child. Hence, praying is one of the practices that can help Mike make the right decision. The dialogue with God is essential and can be implemented individually or through priests and communities.
Mike will trust God and wait for James’ healing, but the father can also use another approach. Human life is the major priority, so Mike can choose to agree to the suggested treatment as a method to save a human. God’s infinite wisdom can be the source of the latest biomedical research, so donor transplantation is a tool provided by God. Of course, this kind of thinking should have been in place from the very start when James was offered dialysis. The treatment involving Samuel’s donation of his kidney is much more difficult to address. Mike has to decide whether he can ask Samuel to sacrifice a part of his body and, maybe, health to save his brother.
The father should also ensure that James will accept this sacrifice and will not feel indebted for the rest of his life, which can have some effects on the brothers’ later in their life. In this case, Mike should focus on the highest benefits for his sons. The father should think about the pain of losing an identical brother Samuel may have to endure for the rest of his life. Therefore, Mike should trust God and agree to the transplantation that is beneficial for everyone.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is possible to state that Christian values are quite similar to the existing nursing ethical principles. For example, the individual’s free will is respected, human life is the most important gift, and giving is the highest value. However, some interpretations of Christian doctrines make patients refuse treatment and make irrational decisions, as viewed by the healthcare staff. However, patient autonomy is one of the priorities for healthcare professionals.
Their role is confined to informing and advocating. In Mike’s case, the physician can help the father make the correct decision and save his son’s life. At that, this case also illustrates that the medical staff failed to inform Mike and encourage him to choose the necessary treatment when it could have less adverse effects. Nurses should consider this case and reflect on their values and ethical standards.
References
Johnstone, M. J. (2015). Bioethics: A nursing perspective (6th ed.). Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Meilaender, G. (2013). Bioethics: A primer for Christians (3rd ed.). Cambridge, England: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.
Saunders, J. (2015). Doing good medical ethics: A Christian perspective. Journal of Medical Ethics, 41(1), 117-120. Web.