Cultural Diversity: Religion - Essay Sample

Introduction

The Temple Sinai is Reform synagogue located in Oakland, California. The physical appearance of this temple is the first landmark that differentiates it from the mainstream churches around the area. The congregation within this temple is exclusively white, and with a Jewish origin. A few are non-Jewish and are hence attracted to the temple due to the dogma under which it operates, while others attend the temple due to marital obligations. The arrival time for the service is set before 9:00 am since the Torah study commences at 9:00 am to 10:30 am. Among the religious artifacts within the temple include the tallit, which is a prayer shawl worn by Jewish male and in some cases female congregation. The kippah is the small hat worn on the head as a sign of respect to the house of God, similarly to the Christian way of removing hats when entering the church. The service utilizes the siddur, which as a prayer book, alongside a bible referred to as a Chumash that is written in both English and Hebrew. Shaliach tzibbur is the leader of prayers in the congregation, while gabbai is the organizer of the service. The demeanor of the congregation during the service is highly conserved. Some instances require them to stand up, sit down or bow, and they do so in compliance. All phones are switched off, and there is limited to no conversations during the service. The customary day for service in on Saturdays, with services lasting from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm. The service commences with the Torah study, to the bar mitzvah and finally the Havdalah hike. The takeaway message for the service was "forgiveness is the cure for an ailing soul." The higher power is God.

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Cultural diversity occurs within the healthcare setting in various forms, among them the beliefs, values, and religion of the patient as well as the clinician. Health is an aspect that combines the physical, emotional, spiritual, and social wellbeing of an individual. In many instances, the physical, social, and mental welfare of the patient is often overemphasized, while the spiritual aspect of their health is underrepresented. Spiritual care has hence been the most recent endorsement more so when it comes to cultural competency within the healthcare setting. Spirituality is considered as the linkage that people form with their higher power to attach meaning to their lives. Cultural competency includes the recognition and addressing of differences in culture, among them religion, ethnicity, and identity at different levels of the healthcare system (Isaac, Hay & Lubetkin, 2016). This concept has been considered vital in medical care settings, as it has been a crucial tool when it comes to the elimination of disparities and inequalities in healthcare centers.

The healthcare settings have come to appreciate the role that spirituality has on the medical decisions and processes of the patients. The etiology and diagnosis of diseases, for instance, might mean more than the scientific evidence attached to the laboratory tests. Some patients attribute the causes of their diseases to evils forces or the cause of their recovery to the higher power. Therefore, the religious or spiritual affiliations of a patient might affect the understanding of the patient towards disease, and this will ultimately influence their views pertaining the interventions suggested by the clinicians and other medical personnel (Isaac, Hay & Lubetkin, 2016). Therefore, by understanding and appreciating the spirituality of the patient, the clinician can address any medical issue in an angle that guarantees the recovery of the patient without violating or overlooking their spiritual standings. A nurse, for instance, could administer an antibiotic, and encourage a patient that God will heal her. This hence merges science and religion to improve healthcare.

Healthcare promotion and intervention do not entirely take place within healthcare centers. The community is a crucial setting for such activities. Approaching any community often presents the dynamics of cultures, and therefore, such environments demand cultural competence. Medical practitioners, clinicians, and nurses have to be well equipped with the knowledge about the various spiritual behaviors within such communities and hence approach healthcare promotion without offending them. The health belief model has been used to explain the complex association between spirituality and health. This model contains four models, and these are the perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and perceived severity of a disease, all which can be impacted by the spirituality of a patient. Spirituality could be a promoter or barrier to healthcare through choices, attitudes, and behaviors. Therefore, the understanding of these dynamics is critical in such practices. A recent trend has been the involvement of the religious centers to lead in the health promotion campaigns. Incorporating the aspect of patient spirituality in primary healthcare. Patients form different understandings on their illnesses and coping strategies that link to their spiritual beliefs and perceptions. Therefore, incorporating positive coping strategies to primary care can lead to the attainment of better and quality care.

Healthcare has for long been focused on the physical, mental, and social needs of the patient, and this has left the spiritual dimension of the patient's welfare. The spiritually of a patient is critical to the healthcare setting as it impacts on their medical decisions and well their understanding of their diseases. Cultural competency is vital when it comes to healthcare, and this hence includes the incorporation of the religious attitudes and beliefs of the patient. Therefore, it is crucial for a nurse to understand the culture of the patient.

References

Isaac K., Hay J., & Lubetkin E. (2016). Incorporating Spirituality in Primary Care. Journal of religion and health, 55(3). Pp. 1065-1077. Doi: 10.1007/s10943-016-0190-2