Nursing

Extensions of Birth Rituals to Today’s Practices Early human beings, in their quest for survival, strove to appease and prevent the evil spirits from interfering with their lives. Their beliefs seem simple and naive, yet the rituals that began in those years have evolved into those that exist today. Attacks of the evil spirits were […]

Birth-Related Religious Rituals Religion Practice Time Method Baptist (27 bodies) Baptism Older child Immersion Church of Christ Baptism 8 years Immersion Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) Baptism 8 years or older Immersion Eastern Orthodox Baptism Infants Total immersion Episcopalian Baptism Infant Friends (Quaker) No baptism Named Greek Orthodox Baptism 40 days Sprinkle

Birth Rituals In the minds of early human beings, the number of evil spirits far exceeded the number of good spirits, and a great deal of energy and time was devoted to thwarting these spirits. They could be defeated by the use of gifts or rituals or, when the evil spirits had to be removed

Traditional Homeopathic HEALER versus Modern Allopathic Physician HEALER Physician 1. Maintains informal, friendly, affective relationship with the entire family 2. Comes to the house, day or night 3. For diagnosis, consults with head of house, creates a mood of awe, talks to all family members, is not authoritarian, has social rapport, builds expectation of cure

Types of HEALING A review of HEALING and spiritual literature reveals that there are 4 types of HEALING: 1. Spiritual HEALING. When a person is experiencing an illness of the spirit, spiritual HEALING applies. The cause of suffering is personal sin. The treatment method is repentance, which is followed by a natural healing process. 2.

Diet No restrictions Euthanasia Favor nonaction May withdraw therapies if death imminent Healing beliefs Faith healing: seen as “superstitious” Healing practices Use of science to facilitate healing Medications No restrictions Organ donations Acceptable Right-to-die issues Favor the right to die with dignity Surgical procedures No restrictions Visitors Family, friends, church members Source: Adapted with permission

Unitarian/Universalist Church Abortion Acceptable, therapeutic, and on demand Artificial insemination Acceptable Autopsy Recommended Birth control All types acceptable Blood and blood products Place Your Order Here!

Seventh-day Adventists Abortion Therapeutic acceptable Artificial insemination Acceptable between husband and wife Autopsy Acceptable Birth control Individual choice Blood and blood products No restrictions Diet Encourage vegetarian diet Euthanasia Not practiced Healing beliefs Divine healing Healing practices Anointing with oil and prayer Medications No restrictions Vaccines acceptable Organ donations Acceptable Right-to-die issues Follow the ethic

  Blood and blood products Acceptable Diet Strict dietary laws followed by many Jews—milk and meat not mixed; predatory fowl, shellfish, and pork products forbidden; kosher products only may be requested Euthanasia Active euthanasia prohibited—passive euthanasia—not prolonging life may be acceptable—nutrition a basic need—not withheld—seek rabbinical consultation Healing beliefs Medical care expected Healing practices Prayers

Jehovah’s Witnesses Abortion Forbidden Artificial insemination Forbidden Autopsy Acceptable if required by law Birth control Sterilization forbidden Other methods; individual choice Blood and blood products Forbidden Diet Abstain from tobacco, moderate use of alcohol Euthanasia Forbidden Healing beliefs Faith healing forbidden Table 6–1 continued (continued) 134 ■ Chapter 6 Healing practices Reading Scriptures can comfort