Religious Beliefs and Healthcare: A Case Study on Patient Care

This case study examines the intersection of religious beliefs and healthcare practices, specifically focusing on the care of Muslim patients. The assignment highlights the importance of understanding and accommodating religious beliefs in medical settings, such as the need for female physicians and nurses to maintain patient dignity. The case study explores how hospitals can adapt to religious practices, detailing the need for cultural sensitivity in providing care. It discusses how to balance religious requirements with medical protocols, ensuring patient safety and comfort. The assignment also emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to patient care, considering religious beliefs as a crucial component of the patient's overall well-being. References are included to support the arguments and demonstrate the importance of cultural competence in healthcare environments.

Running Head: Religious competencies
Religious Competencies in Clinical Practice
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors Note

1Religious Competencies in Clinical Practices
Introduction
People of Islamic community have different beliefs for medical treatment and
healing procedure. This assignment will discuss about the religious belief of the patient and
patient’s family during treatment and these beliefs act as barriers for the healthcare providers.
The assignment describes how staffs of the hospital should provide appropriate
accommodations to the patient.
Discussion
People of Islam community have beliefs regarding the provision of treatment and
healing procedure. They maintain restrictions for food and diet, transplants and surgeries,
prayers and scriptures. A Muslim woman prefers female physicians and the nurses as
religious beliefs of Islam suggests avoiding male touch. In this case study, the patient’s
family wanted that the girl should be checked by female doctors and nurses as they tried to
maintain their beliefs during the provision of care (Arousell & Carlbom,2016).The hospital
setting consists of half of the doctors and one-third of the nursing professionals are male.
The patient should be treated with the female doctors and nurses as per the
Muslim’s beliefs of healthcare provision. Female doctors and nurses should assess the
patients to maintain her dignity as they are not comfortable to remove Hijab and clothes in
front others(Nortvedt, 2017). Male physicians can engage in making medical and diet chart,
administering medications to the patient, evaluating the symptoms of the patient from
recorded reports but should not touch patient. The patient and her family must be convinced
that their religious beliefs should be maintained by preserving safety and security of the
patient. The patient should be treated with a holistic approach and culturally competent
accommodations.

2Religious Competencies in Clinical Practices
Conclusion
The assignment has covered the ways for maintaining religious beliefs without
hampering the quality of healthcare facilities with respect to the given case study. Medical
professional should consider the religious beliefs during the treatment of culturally diverse
communities.

3Religious Competencies in Clinical Practices
References
Arousell, J., & Carlbom, A. (2016). Culture and religious beliefs in relation to reproductive
health. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 32, 77-87.
Nortvedt, L. (2017). Dignity and Indignity Experienced by Immigrant Women on Long-term
Sick Leave: A qualitative Study.