Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity - Essay Example In their lines of duty, health care providers encounter patients from diverse faiths every day. While faith (religion) is mostly held constant when providing health services, it may act as a barrier to the provision of the same in some instances. As such, it is important that a health care provider in certain demanding or all working settings to have some basic knowledge about some faiths. It is, however impossible to learn something about all the faiths on earth and as such, sometimes the health care provider may seek some help from the patients or other related persons. To elaborate on how faith and health care can relate, the following study text analyzes three faiths; Judaism, Buddhism, and Sikh. The paper will compare the three faiths to Christianity, and in it explain how understanding a patient’s faith can be advantageous in disseminating health care services. Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. They value human life and are against any form of taking it away such as suicide, murder, or euthanasia. Judaism allows for medical intervention when one is sick, and supports that every community should have a physician. Additionally, the Judaists do not allow for surgeries or any treatment during the Sabbath, not unless it is very necessary as in saving a life. The sick are visited by relatives, but again, this should not interfere with the recovery of the patient. The issue of conducting autopsies is controversial in Judaism, and is only allowed under special cases. This is because they value the human body even in death. Abortion is also controversial because it is not allowed not unless it is for strict medical emergencies. Abortion and autopsy may have to be allowed by a teacher or Rabbi before they are conducted. Finally, they circumcise male children, eight days after they are born. It is done by a trained specialist with both me dical and religious backing (Spitzer, 2003). Sikhs usually turn to their God,