Hospitals are an institution which provide treatment by specialized staff and equipment ( wikipedia). The role of the staff in the hospital is to provide care for patients to help them recover and maintain healthy. There are many roles within a hospital such as doctors, nurses, therapists, social workers, etc. All of these roles play an important part in the structure and in the maintenance of the hospital as an institution. All social institutions affect each other. Religion can have an effect on hospitals. This is because many religions have different beliefs, and those beliefs can affect which procedures are done within a hospital.
An example of this is blood transfusions. If someone has loss an excessive amount of blood, hospitals may perform a blood transfusion in order to save the patient. However, some religions do not believe in blood transfusions. An example is Jehovah Witnesses. Individuals of this religion do not believe in accepting blood from other individuals because they believe that if blood is removed from the body it should be disposed of (watchtower.org). Therefore, they do not accept blood transfusions. This is where two social institutions collide. Although Jehovah Witnesses' do accept other fluids, it can be tricky for surgeons during major surgery without blood transfusions. Major surgery can still be done without blood transfusions though and according to Michael E. DeBakey, the risk during surgery without blood transfusions is not larger than the risk during surgery with the use of blood transfusions (watchtower.org). However, there are still many doctors who believe it is too risky.
It is a tough call when the institute of religion interfers with the institute of medicine. I have heard of this circumstance with Jehovah witnesses. I've also heard that Scientologists don't treat or recognize autism (I am not saying this as a fact as I have not done the appropriate amount of research on the subject.)The interview linked below does not necessarily answer this question either. (CBS) And there have also been many accounts of children dying because their parents did not want to medically treat a problem. Last year a young girl of age 11 died when her parents decided to pray over her instead of treating her diabetes. (Theframeproblem – this blog harsh in opinion) I can’t imagine the amount of pain that little girl went through, I have diabetes and even at my worst; which I’ve been hospitalized for, I can’t image what she went through. The same thing is happening in the Christian Science church. (Theatlantic) Treatable diseases are being ignored and children are dying. It is unfortunate when these things happen and it is very hard to govern because state and religion are supposed to be separate. Freedom of religion is a significant part of our country but should there be a line to draw? Parents are supposed to be the protectors of a childs best interest but should a child be allowed to independently ask for help and have an advocate step in when parents refuse treatment?
ReplyDelete(Theframeproblem) http://theframeproblem.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/11-year-old-dies-because-parents-refused-medical-treatment-going-instead-with-prayer/
(Theatlantic) http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/unbound/flashbks/xsci/suffer.htm
Scientologist spokes person interview on CBS (CBS)http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/08/earlyshow/leisure/celebspot/main4707260.shtml
I have never heard of Jehovah Witnesses not excepting blood transfusions. This must be very tough for the institution as a whole when there is someone that could save with a blood transfusion but they can't except it. If there person has been admitted to the emergency room alone then how does the institution know what their religion is? What happens if they are a Jehovah witness (or any other religion) and they are given a blood transfusion because they weren't aware of the religion?
ReplyDeleteI have heard that the Jewish religion also has its beliefs about medical treatment. I found an article about a Jewish family that wouldn't take there son off of life support even though his brain was no longer functioning. I have posted the link below.
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Religion-vs-Medicine-Family-Wont-Take-Brain-Dead-Boy-Off-Life-Support.html
Last year I went down to Lancaster PA and during one of the tours of Amish country I heard an interesting story. The Amish as most know don't believe in using all the technology that is out there, for their own religious beliefs.
ReplyDeleteThere was a little boy with some sort of illness couldn't handle the heat of Lancaster. It was a lethal illness if it wasn't taken care of. So the community went to the minister and had a town meeting that allowed the family to purchase a generator to run an air conditioner into his room. This saved the boys life without the A.C he would of died from the heat.
I wanted to show the other side of religion Vs Medicine that their are compromises made.
I agree that there are definitely compromises made. In the same article that I got my information from I was reading about how some doctors and some individuals who are Jehovah Witnesses have gotten together to discuss conflicts like this and what to do. I think that medicine in the U.S is really trying to understand cultural differences as it pertains to healthcare. Health care providers really want to be able to help the patients and also want to respect their religious and cultural wishes as well.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a tough call when talking about religion vs. medicine. Many religions are dated so far back that people are not going to change their ways. Also as I have learned in my history class people died for their beliefs knowing that they were going to be in a better place. The good thing about it is that with an institution like a hospital there is so much technology advancing. There are always draw backs for people refusing blood infusions or any treatment against their religious beliefs, but I think with such evolving technology there are different methods to use, or ways around it. As far as parents refusing treatment for their children it is also a hard call. We see miracles happen where the doctor told a patient that they were going to die, but with continuous faith and prayers they make a total 360. I am not saying that you should take the chance with a child's life, but at the same rate who is to tell a parent what to do with their child. Typically we would think that the parent would consider what was best for the child. It is hard to tell someone to go against their religous beliefs of what they have always known and what they were taught when they can not always guarantee that the patient will even get better. It is a tough situation!
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