Faith in Medicine

Published in the Hektoen International Journal of Medical Humanities

When I was an undergrad, I worked for a nursing unit in the trauma ward. I vividly remember one patient who had just been in a horrible car accident and barely made it through. I rounded on her for the better course of two weeks before we started to see any significant improvements. One afternoon as I was passing by her room, she called me in. When I got to her bedside, she asked me if I would pray with her. Now, I never push my faith onto others, but I also don’t shy away from it when asked. It was the first time a patient had directly called on my faith since joining the world of healthcare, and to be honest I wasn’t even sure if I was allowed to pray openly with her. I did anyway because at the moment it was what she needed. Since that day, I’ve been asked countless times by patients of various faiths to pray with them. It’s made me wonder, what is the role of faith in medicine?

We spend our whole lives in medicine practicing how to care for the body, but a person is more than their ailments. The basis of holistic medicine is to care for the entire human, system by system, mind, body, and spirit. So that being said, a patient’s faith could be key to their treatment. It’s definitely true that mood plays a large role in recovery and healing, so we do our best to keep patients in the best emotional states we can. Helping a patient engage with their faith more powerfully could help propel them through physical therapy, lighten their stress, and provide hope in dark times. I’m not saying we should prod for each patient’s faith if they have one, that would be totally intrusive. But if a patient offers that information willingly, could it be worthwhile to incorporate faithful avenues into their treatment plan? I would argue yes.

Let’s say we use a patient’s faith in their treatment more often. Should providers feel compelled to do so? What if the patient is of another faith? Is it right for a provider to say no? This is where it really gets tricky for me. I personally don’t feel uncomfortable engaging in religious acts outside of my faith for the sake of a patient, especially when I know how much peace I am providing. However, I believe it’s just as unfair to pressure providers into offering religious or spiritual aid as it would be to assume a patient is comfortable speaking on behalf of their own faith. This whole idea only works when a patient is independently willing to share and their provider is willing to take part, and only when those two hold true should practicing faith together be encouraged.

Maybe it’s because I live in the south, but I have noticed many hospitals offering some sort of spiritual guidance on staff, however, it’s namely Christian in practice: a chaplain, a room for church services and prayer, a bible in patient rooms. I find that absolutely wonderful that those of the Christian faith with extended hospital stays have avenues to connect with their faith and feel supported. I just wish there were more avenues for those of different faiths: a rabbi on service, a prayer room for Hindu patients, a mosque on one floor of the hospital. I can’t speak to each faith and what would be best to be available to them, but I do feel if you are a patient and wish to connect with your faith during your stay, there should be an avenue to do so. If your hospital or a hospital you know offers services like these, let me know! I’d love to learn more about faith in various hospital structures and share that with the ND MD community!

I know this is a bit of a different post than what I’ve done before, so I thank you all for indulging me for a moment. It’s just been on my mind as of late. I feel not exploring just how much a patient’s faith plays on their hospital stay and the way they view their disease course does everyone involved a disservice. No matter your faith, what you believe drives the way you act and feel. It certainly affects the way you approach bad news, pain, and perseverance. Patients, if you feel comfortable sharing your faith during your stay do not be afraid to do so. You may find more support than you’d have realized. Health Care workers, if you feel comfortable when prompted, go the extra mile and practice faith with your patients. It will surely strengthen the bond between you two, and it will go miles towards making their stay more peaceful. What has your experience been like with faith in the hospital environment? If you feel comfortable, share your stories; I’d love nothing more than to hear them. Until next time, stay healthy and happy reading!

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