Concept of a Healing Hospital

Healing Hospital

The author of this report is offering a brief treatise on the subject of spirituality in healthcare and the general concept of what are known as healing hospitals. On that subject, the author of this report will answer three general questions. First, the components of a healing hospital will be described and detailed. Second, the challenges that exist in creating a healing environment in light of the complexities and barriers of the hospital environment will be described. Finally, there will be an inclusion of some biblical aspects and passages that can be attributed to and associated with healing hospitals. While it is important to model an individual patient's care after their personal beliefs and viewpoints, there are a lot of people that support the concept and idea of healing hospitals.

Summary

As described in a journal article on the subject, there are a couple of things that can be attributed and identified when it comes to spiritual hospitals. These include the practicing of a compassionate presence, listening to the fears, hopes, pain and dreams of the patient, obtaining a spiritual history, being attentive to all dimensions of patients and their families, incorporation of spiritual practices as appropriate and involving chaplains as members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team. Other aspects of life and the practice of medicine that have to be taken into account include the morality that we all possess, coping with grief and pain and recovery. To take things a few steps further, clinicians need to understand a few things. First, spirituality may or may not be a dynamic in the patient's understanding of a disease they do or might have. Second, religious convictions may or may not affect the decision-making that someone makes relative to their healthcare. Finally, it is important to remember that spirituality may be a patient need and may be important in patient coping (Puchalski, 2001).

One challenge that can emerge for some professionals is "tapping in" to one's own spirituality and belief structure before, during and after tending to the same sort of needs for others. Further, the general practice of personalized and compassionate care is perceived to be quite lacking in the healthcare field in general. As stated by Puchalski and McSkimming, "the U.S. healthcare system itself is frequently perceived as lacking in personalized and compassionate healthcare services." Further, they state that "the organizations in which they will practice -- hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient offices and others -- do not reflect the material taught concerning the importance of spirituality to good health. To summarize, two major barriers is that the practice of spirituality in healthcare is not all that common and it can be a juggling act to implement it well due to resistance or other issues from employees or outside forces (Puchalski & McSkimming, 2006).

Conclusion