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Buddhism & Health Care
Hi everyone. I am currently taking some spirituality classes to further my nursing degree and I have an assignment where I have to compare different faiths to Christianity with regards to health care. I unfortunately live in a small town and work in a community hospital that does not have a very diverse population so I was hoping that I could ask a few questions here? I’m looking to try to understand different faiths, particularly Buddhism, and how to better care for a patient with Buddhist beliefs if I were to have one. Here are my questions:
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1) What is your spiritual perspective on healing?
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2) What are the critical components of healing, such as prayer, meditation, belief, etc?
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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 very much for your help and insight!
<O:p</O:p
1) What is your spiritual perspective on healing?
<O:p</O:p
2) What are the critical components of healing, such as prayer, meditation, belief, etc?
<O:p</O:p
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 very much for your help and insight!
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Comments
1. Spirituality is a HUGE part of healing. Both physically and mentally. The body knows how to heal itself most times. Sometimes it needs a little help, but it generally knows what it's doing. But if the spirit (mind) is out of whack, things will go wrong. A patient who is serene and at peace will be out of my ICU much faster than someone who is stressed, afraid, and at odds with what is.
2. This is different for everyone. I don't know that it matters that much what one's faith is (Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or whatever), as long as there is a belief in something other than the self. All of those contribute in some way to achieving some level of serenity and acceptance - most of the time.
3. This one is tricky. Unless there is some way I have of knowing that a patient is Buddhist (which might or might not be on their admission database information), I never bring it up. My own spiritual beliefs as a caregiver don't come to play overtly. I'm happy to pray with patients and their families, and I feel honored when asked to do so, regardless of what "kind" of prayer it is. I'm not a Christian, but I respectfully bow my head and participate when asked. I never volunteer "Gee, I'm a Buddhist, let me help!" or anything like that. But I do silently offer prayers, especially for the dying, that they have a peaceful death and an auspicious rebirth. Whether or not the person dying is Buddhist or whatever, I figure that can't do anyone any harm.
4. I don't have to change my beliefs to do my job. I've never been asked to do so. I *have* been asked if I'm "saved" and such, and it's always difficult to answer given the highly conservative Christian bent of most people I take care of in this part of the country (SW Virginia). I usually say something like "I have my own beliefs, thanks". But if a patient or family have a set of beliefs that have a specific impact on how I provide care (for instance, a Seventh Day Adventist who doesn't want blood products), naturally I respect that. That's a question on our admission database: "Do you have any spiritual beliefs or practices that would impact how we provide care to you?". That's usually all that's required.
This is a fascinating area of inquiry for me. My time as an ICU nurse has really helped my practice in many ways, especially in the area of the understanding of impermanence and death.
Good luck with your nursing! I've just started CRNA school (yikes!!).
Mtns
With metta
Do you (or anyone else) think that Buddhists are any more or less likely to seek out medical care due to their spiritual beliefs? I believe that meditation is very common, is that something that you (or anyone) does to help heal physical problems or is it mostly spiritual?
Thanks again for your help!
As Buddhist we are basically 'psychnauts' - whereas astronauts explore the frontiers of space, psychnauts explore the frontiers of the mind. And as science has come to accept, a health mind generally implies a healthy body.
Buddhist get sick along with everyone else - all things are subject to change. So, rather than claiming some sort of victim status, Buddhists would take the opportunity to work for others by accepting all sickness in a process of exchanging self for others.
What you are stuck with is the duality of Western thinking which leads to a praxis that assumes this duality as real. Therefore you think that our meditation must be for some personal benefit - that we are going to get better, either physically or spiritually. This is not the purpose of meditation. Meditation is a process of working with the mind so that when death comes we are not swallowed by fear and resentment but are better equipped to negotiate the process of rebirth.
The best think that you are your collogues could do at this time is maintain some peace and quite to facilitate that process.
It is excellent you are working for the relief of suffering in others and I am encouraged by your interest in the subject.
Blessings in your work with sentient beings.
Great anwsers Mountains! I am also a Buddhist and a nurse (home care nurse). I'd like to echo your anwsers, and perhaps include some of my own (you know how us nurses are, we can never be quite!)
1. I do the Medicine Buddha practice alot ( I'm a Tibetan Buddhist of the Karma Kagyu school). I believe that many, but not all, illness have a karmic component to them. Not that "you killed an ant yesterday, so now you have a headache" kind of thing, but illness can arise from negative karma from many lifetimes as you are trying to purify that negative karma. So sometimes a cold is from the accumulation of negative karma that needs purifying, and sometimes it's just not enough hand washing! Now this doesn't impact care the patient receives (you've been bad, so suffer), quite the contrary. I feel I am in a role that can help reduce the suffering of those in my care.
2.Critical components? Hum, that is hard to say. I guess I do feel that meditation can bring more stability to your mind and body making it less likely to be venerable to infections/illness. Also understanding that all is an illusion, including "illness" can be very comforting (to a Buddhist of course, this won't fly
with Non Buddhists....they will just think your nuts ). The practice of Tong-Lin meditation is specifically for easing suffering for those around you, and all beings everywhere. It is a beautiful practice!! Here is a link to a wonderful talk by Pema Chodron discussing Tong-Lin.
http://wn.com/pema_chodron_tong_lin
3. I fully agree with Mountains!!
4. I also never mention that I am Buddhist, some know as I live in a small town and happen to the the assistant director of our Buddhist center as well as the meditation instructor. I don't lie if asked if I am "saved" or a christian, I just divert the conversation to the patient ie, "Sounds like your faith is very important to you, that is wonderful. Is there anyone from your church you'd like me to contact to visit you?" That usually safely diverts attention from me, and I am able to assist the patient in contacting spiritual help if they want it. For those that already know I'm Buddhist, I can honestly say it has never been a barrier. I just don't discuss my faith.
OK, true story time: I had a nurse aide that was assigned to stay at a hospice pt's house overnight, it was an emergent last minute request.T he patient was alert but restless, and the family needed some respite at night. I gave her report and she went to work. The next day I asked how her shift went (some of the staff is uncomfortable with the dying pt, and was just checking her comfort with the assignment.) She smiled and said she really felt it went well. She further went on to say the patient stated he knew he was dying, but was OK with it, he just hoped his family could make it in time. My nurse aide reported that at this she patted his hand and said "I hope they do make it, but remember your not alone, when you pass Jesus will be with you to take you home. He is with you always" She said "I reminded him of this several times throughout the night." I asked what his response was, she said he just smiled broadly. I asked if she read the statistical card in the house, and she reported the nurse forgot to leave her one (it was an emergent pt) I then went on to explain we don't ever make assumptions as to the beliefs of our patients. If fact she may have wanted to observe a little more closely because he always wears a Star of David. At first she didn't get what the issue was, so we discussed some of the differences between her faith and his. It just so happens this patient was my former music history prof (I told you all it's a small town!) so I went out to see him, and assess how he was doing in the light of what had happened. I apologized for the situation, and stated I hoped he wasn't made to uncomfortable. He said "UNCOMFORTABLE?, I haven't been so amused in a long time, each time she said it, I just want to burst out laughing!" So luckily for all of us, this turned out well, and he understood she was acting out of kindness, misguided kindness, but kindness none the less.
-Oh, BTW the following week I had an in-service on understanding diversity, and she volunteered to tell the story! Great learning tool.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama takes medicine every day. His chamberlain has to remind him. I believe it's blood pressure medication
And sometimes it's just because you didn't wash your hands
PS: LOVE that last story! That's a hoot. Can you say "cultural competence"?