Beliefs+of+Death

Name: Eri Hashimoto Student No.: n7390424  Tutor: Sarah Jordan

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====This artefact is spiritual talk between patients and churchman in a hospital. The patient seems to be deeply hurt mentally. It feels the patient really need the spiritual talk so that she can reveal in side of her mind. The churchman hold the patient’s hand tightly and put his hand to her head to try to reassure her. ====

====My analysis of public health issue is death in hospital setting. Death is one thing that is certain in this lifetime. It is critically important and highly sensitive issuewhen it comes in hospital setting. Hospitals or hospices are where people who are ill, sick or injured are given medical treatment and care. Though that, nurses and doctors should be aware of patients’ beliefs and religion, especially patients who are dying or terminal. Everyone has own belief, culture, burial practices, and rituals around death. Some religion may have very strict rules about death. So, how do nurses and doctors provide a care when patient is dying? ====

**LITERATURE REVIEW**
====As there are about 19 major religions, 40 small religion sections in this world, beliefs of death in each person could be same number or even more than that. Each religion have own ways to do with the body or each actions is meaningful to them. It is said by researchers, Hsu, O’Connor, and Lee (2009) that it is important to look to their traditions or culture to provide appropriate support and respect their religion. Also, give honest and accurate information about the circumstances of death is best way, even if it is going to cause further grief, stated by Fisher and Reed (2011) from World Health Organisation (WHO). ====

====Some religions such as Buddhism and Hindu, believes that life does not end with death. In China, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and other traditions contributed many beliefs and practices. Chinese conception of the after-life is based on a combination of these religions. Some believe that if a person dies at home, this may bring harmful effects on children in the house. Thus, some people may wish the person to die in hospital or hospices. In this Buddhism belief of death, asking death at home will be impolite in terms of religion and belief. Therefore, understanding patients’ belief is essential for hospital or hospices to take care. Buddhist framework of meaning death is to relieve suffering and facilitate a good death (Endlink, 2004.). ====

====When a patient became terminal in any diseases, the prognosis was often “nothing to do” for doctors or nurses. A little treatment was done to attend to remove the patient’s suffering or pain. Though that, any health practitioner and health care professionals should be able to understand the patient’s religions and cultural beliefs that can impact on decisions making related to pain, death and suffering especially when it comes with end of life (Puchalski and O’Donnell, 2005). Even it is a regrettable to tell bad news to patient and carer, breaking bad news for them require time and processes more (Heming and Colmer, 2003.). Communicating in such situation require high communication skills such as non-verbal, mirror the patients emotion, reflect on feeling. Furthermore, giving an opportunity to discuss fears, feelings, and asking questions might be helpful but it is not guarantee to become better. Moreover, it is important to concern that patient is not only person who requires support. Patient’s families, relatives, and carer will experience a range of fears and emotions. The following table from Oxford University Press (2011) provide some verbal communication skills for professionals, patients and relatives. ====

====The important things are not just communicate with patients, providing privacy to allow the patient to feel valued (Hopkinson, Hallett, and Luker, 2003.). ====

====Preparation of bereavement for families requires such time. Depends on the availability of families care, the place of death may be determined. Giving bereavement support for carer and families requires the health professional’s knowledge to support them (Heming and Colmer, 2003.). In this time, the professional needs to find out in what ways patients’ religion is meaningful. For examples, whether rituals supported in the hospitals, home or other specific place. Spiritual beliefs and what is important to the patients and giving meaning to their lives should be known. ====

====The methodology conduced in researches are in-depth interview nurses using a phenomenological approach and qualitative approach. The principles of these approaches are to pay close attention phenomena and structure of experiences or consciousness from subjective point of view, for example, memories, emotions, volitions, and social activities. Giving experiences are intentionality help conscious experience into conditions. (Smith, 2011). However, limitations could be reached similar conclusions and assumptions. Recognising the essential reality of religious experience could not be done when close focusing on religious doctrines and the conceptual element of religious faith (Barnes, 2001). ====

====Beliefs around death are all about culture and religions. Each religions or culture has own ways to do with the body as well as rituals and practices. Especially in a hospital or a hospice that are taking care of people’s life, it is important to concern about patients’ religion and belief when it comes with death or terminated patients. ====

====The evidence has illustrated that elderly people have more visits to the surgery, it means the hospitals than ever before (Selby, 2006, p.45) and people who are born with a disease have a greater chance to admit to a hospital too.In particular, elderly often have some problems such as poor healing or delirium, so that sometimes it is difficult to communicate or understanding the disease progression. Furthermore, people with disability especially, who have difficulty in hearing or speaking encounter problems in explaining their religions or culture. They might need the professionals or health care experts to do so such as a sign language interpreter. ====

====Since doctors don’t know the patients religion, there is a chance that doctors do not say anything when a patient is close to the end or telling the disease that is nowhere to treat. These actions might be impolite in some religions and can lead to taboos. Each action for doing with the body is meaningful to each cultures and religions. It is recommended by WHO that giving honest and accurate information even it leads to further grief. Recognising and understanding of each patient’s religion should be always considered when it comes with the hospital setting. It may bring patients happy and satisfied. From a newspaper article by Dallas (2011), the patients who talks about their religion, faith, and religion, they are more satisfied with their care. A research from a newspaper stated that one-fifth of patients are not given the opportunity to have these discussions. ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This artefact represents patients can be more satisfied with the hospital’s care when talk to a churchman. In particular, patients who are serious illness, they tend to stay longer and so, they will getting stress and worried about his or her illness. As speaking out and reveal in side of his or her mind in multiple times, they feel better and more satisfied. Therefore, hospitals should know the patients religion and beliefs and provide churchman for them. For example, hospitals may provide a community group to talk with other patient-to-patient or a churchman from different religion visits a hospital to discuss faith and conduct a spiritual talk for patients. ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">As for my learning experience, this assessment has allowed me to think more deeply about importance of knowing patients beliefs of death especially for a patient with an advanced disease and religions. The beliefs are for supporting and leading people when they encounter a problem. While they are in a hospital, they may feel a lot of feelings, such as lonely and fear. Hospitals should provide a care for them particularly terminated patients and when doing with the body. This issue on belief of death remind me always keep people’s religion when I have a consulting or talking with them in the future. ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Barnes, L. P. (2001). What is wrong with the phenomenological approach to religious education? // Religious education, 96 // (4), p. 445. doi: 10.1080/003440801753442366 ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Dallas, M. E. (2011, July 13). Spiritual talks may boost patients’ view of hospital care. //MSN//. Retrieved from http://health.msn.com/health-topics/spiritual-talks-may-boost-patients-view-of-hospital-care ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Endlink. (2004). World Religions: Buddhism. Retrieved from [|http://endoflife.northwestern.edu/religion_spirituality/buddhism.htm#Death%20in%20the%20Buddhist%20] ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Tradition Fisher, J. and Reed, B. (2011). Disposal of dead bodies in emergen conditions. (ed. B. Reed). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/2011/tn8_disposal_dead_bodies_en.pdf ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Heming, D. and Colmer, A. (2003). //Nursing Standard, 18//(10), 47-57. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/gtx/infomark.do?action=interpret&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=HRCA&docId=A112212147&source=gale&srcprod=HRCA&version=1.0&userGroupName=qut&finalAuth=true ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Hopkinson, J. B., Hallett, C. E. and Luker, K. A. (2003). Caring for dying people in hospital. //Journal of Advanced Nursing, 44//(5), 525–533. doi: 10.1046/j.0309-2402.2003.02836.x ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Hsu, C. Y., O'Connor, M., and Lee, S. (2009). Understandings of death and dying for people of Chinese origin. //Death Studies, 33//(2), 153-174. doi:10.1080/07481180802440431 ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Mortality. (2000). After death/ past beliefs and real possibilities. //Public Health And Safety, Medical Sciences, 5//(1), 108-111. Retrieved from [] ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Oxford University Press. (2011). Care of the dying: A pathway to excellence. (ed. J. Ellershaw and S. Wilkinson). New York, NY: Author. [EBL version]. Retrieved from [|http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=qZ1i9rWGEd4C&pg=PA85&lpg=PA85&dq=Communication+in+care+of+the+dying&source=bl&ots=plgG08o7Rb&sig=EVx0kGFvs2PzYZBpo1RnSXOW13w&hl=en&ei=KVOzTo2fK_LTiAK137E8&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Communication%20in%20care%20of%20the%20dying&f=false] ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Puchalski, C. M., and O’Donnell, E. (2005). Religious and spiritual beliefs in end of lifecare: how major religions view death and dying. //Techniques in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management, 9//(3), 114-121. ====

====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Selby, M. (2006). Confusion in the elderly. //Practice Nurse, 32//(9), 45, 47-48. Retrieved from http://gateway.library.qut.edu.au/login?url=http:search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/230448892?accountid=13380 ====