The Role of Spirituality in Health Care

The Role of Spirituality in Health Care
This topic is the most interesting because it presents another perspective of the treatment process which stresses healing through spiritual and emotional nourishment (Puchalski, 2001). When patients visit hospitals to seek medical treatment, they are often optimistic about getting relieved from their suffering and pain (Puchalski, 2001). However, research has shown that patients also go through mental and spiritual torture as they try to come to terms with the reality of their diseases (Puchalski, 2001). The concept of compassionate care introduced in this topic focuses not only on treatment but also on the emotional aspect of the patient.
It is interesting to note that most healthcare givers have appreciated the connection between spirituality and prompt recovery or comfortable management of some chronic diseases since spiritually active patients can easily cope with any form of suffering. As such, they recognize that holistic healing is important since the patients can be healed physically but deep within they still struggle with emotional pain (Puchalski, 2001). Therefore, this topic encourages doctors to help their patients grapple with the challenges that come with various diseases, some of which have no cure (Puchalski, 2001). To achieve this, the health care providers need to believe in another supernatural force that can help in the treatment process so that the patient doesn’t just heal from the physical illness, but also the mind and the soul (Puchalski, 2001).

Ultimately, compassionate care benefits both the patients and the healthcare professionals. When, say, cancer or diabetes patient accepts the condition they are in, however unfortunate it is, the healthcare giver gets encouraged (Puchalski, 2001). Consequently, the latter can deal with any problem that comes their way because they use their patients as a typical case study that can be emulated.
References
Puchalski, C. M. (2001, October). The role of spirituality in health care. In Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings (Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 352-357). Taylor & Francis.