The primary focus of nursing is on restoring and maintaining health. God made us in His image, so every human life has value (Cox & Thompson, 2022). This is what we value most, not our competence or proficiency. Healthcare offers many tools for preventing illness but is often viewed with suspicion. This case study focuses on Mike and Joanne’s parenting of their son James. Following the Christian healing service, they were convinced that their son would be made well again. They said no to the healthcare professionals’ suggestions that their son undergoes temporary dialysis. Instead, they turned to a Christian healer, placing their faith in him to restore their son’s health. James’ health deteriorated due to their parental decision. Only a kidney transplant, James’ doctor said, has a chance of saving him. Following an exhaustive search, James’ identical twin Samuel is the sole possible kidney donor. Mike is faced with the difficult choice of relying on God’s miracle to heal his son’s illness or allowing Samuel to give a kidney to James. This paper discusses a patient’s spiritual needs, considering the Christian worldview.
Medical professionals face difficult choices in the case study’s scenario. The doctor respected the parents’ reliance on faith in treating James, even if their decision had a negative impact on his health. But now comes the time to make a decision that could mean life or death. Anyone who has seen James in his current condition might question whether his parents are acting in his best interest. This author believes that James’s parents ought not to be stripped of their right to make decisions about their son’s medical care. Given the family’s current situation, James’ parents must remain actively involved in his care.
Given the scope of the issue they face, they should be afforded some time to deliberate on the massive nature of the choice they will soon be called upon to make. As a result, medical experts would have more time to educate parents on important health topics and offer them spiritual direction (Batstone et al., 2020). That would point James’s parents in the proper direction so they could come to an agreement about what is best for James and his sibling. It is crucial that everyone in the family weigh in on the decision-making process. This writer believes that the case study shows a lack of respect for self – determination because both sons, despite their young ages, should have input into their healthcare decisions.
Different people draw strength and optimism from different places while they’re sick. Christians put their faith in God and turn to Him for strength, inspiration, and comfort. Many people believe that the introduction of sin and its continued impact on the world is what ultimately causes all diseases. Humans’ alienation from God is seen to be the root source of illness, misery, and death (Horden, 2020). Being in fellowship with God and carrying out His will form the bedrock of Christian belief. God’s people will have the fortitude they need to weather any storm.
The Bible teaches that each of our physical bodies is a sacred temple that God built in His likeness. To that end, God commands that we take all necessary measures to safeguard His works. The fact that God made us in His likeness means that we have the capacity to think critically and come up with novel solutions to problems, such as the medical advances that have made our lives so much easier. God has blessed us with the ability to use medicine to save lives, improve people’s health, and enhance their quality of life (Cox & Thompson, 2022). Although we may place a higher value on our religious requirements, Jesus taught us that we should not overlook our physical needs.
James’s parents must also take this news. Mike needs to understand that God usually uses individuals to execute his will, and not just miracles, so that he can trust them more. Therefore, Mike should have faith in God and hope that the medical care provided by the healthcare specialists would improve James’ health. Both of James’s parents need to come to terms with the possibility that medical technology, which God blessed humanity with the ability to invent, will be James’s best chance for recovery. Christians should not see medical innovations as incompatible with their faith but rather as an integral part of God’s plan to save the world from its sick.
God appears to be telling both of James’ parents that they must
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