What spiritual considerations surrounding a disaster can arise for individuals, communities, and health care providers? NRS 428
What spiritual considerations surrounding a disaster can arise for individuals, communities, and health care providers? NRS 428
Topic 5 DQ 1
What spiritual considerations surrounding a disaster can arise for individuals, communities, and health care providers? Explain your answer in the context of a natural or manmade disaster. How can a community health nurse assist in the spiritual care of the individual, community, self, and colleagues?
Replies
For individuals, they may feel hopeless, for the community, there will be trust issues and for the healthcare providers, there will be a struggle when it comes to their competence. There will be a feeling of being hopeless for an individual in cases or a manmade or a natural disaster because these things would happen abruptly and most of the time, we are unprepared. Human as we are we would always feel a sense of hopelessness especially if we lost everything that we worked so hard for or losing a family member whom we love so much (Falkner, 2018). For the community, a feeling of distrust may occur because there will be times during our most vulnerable phase that we would question why the community let it happen or what have they done to help us out. Even the spiritual aspect of the community may be shaken because everything seems to be unsure at the moment and confusion or misunderstanding among members may happen. For health care providers there will be an inner struggle in the sense that they were the front lines during a disaster, the first witnesses to any devastation and the first to get traumatized at times (American Red Cross, 2020). Health care providers will also need some spiritual support from one another or the people around them not just to regain their motivation and strength but also to become spiritually healthy again in times of a disaster may it be manmade or of natural occurrence.
As a community health nurse, one will be able to help in identifying opportunities to effectively deal with the spiritual well being of an individual, community, self, and colleagues thus, promoting holistic care. During a disaster, one vital role of a community health nurse is becoming an effective spiritual support so that individualized care with compassion can be implemented (Makwana, 2019). All aspects of being a person is shaken and spirituality should always be given prime importance too because once it has been effectively addressed, healing and recovery from a disaster can be observed faster among the individual, community, colleagues and even in oneself. The spiritual considerations surrounding a disaster that can arise for individuals, communities, and health care providers, include providing emotional support and care in accordance with the religious preferences of the people who have been affected by the disaster. Thus, it includes setting aside one’s own religious inclination and values. Being neutral and giving support and care based on the beliefs and values of the people who have suffered (Falkner, 2018). For example, in case of dead people, helping the relatives in performing the last rites based on the religion and culture to which the deceased and his or her family belong.
References
American Red Cross. (2020) Spiritual Care Important Part of Red Cross Assisting in Disaster. https://www.redcross.org/local/arkansas/about-us/news-and-events/news/spiritual-care-in-disaster.html
Makwana, N. (2019, October 31). Disaster and its impact on Mental Health: A Narrative Review. Journal of family medicine and primary care. Retrieved January 24, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6857396/
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What spiritual considerations surrounding a disaster can arise for individuals, communities, and health care providers NRS 428 Replies
Disasters are tragic because they often happen when we least expect them and are unprepared. The spiritual health nurse can do a lot by evaluating these situations and offering care where it is needed. Nurses in this situation can provide much-needed emotional support. Nurses can also find members of the spiritual care team who are trained to help these patients with their spiritual needs. This is a very important aspect of nursing and should not be overlooked. Great post!
- Anita Muric
replied toYasser Aguilar Abreu
Jan 27, 2022, 7:49 PM
- Replies to Yasser Aguilar Abreu
Hi Yasser,
Super storms like Sandy that caused human suffering in New Jersey and was the cause of death, damage of properties and disruption of social surroundings. Another big disaster was Hurricane Katrina in 2005 where we have seen and still see the aftermath of a disaster. First responders such as nurses, firemen, emergency personnel, policeman, doctors, complains, and many others assist with the care, help people relocate. Traumatized patients are at risk for post traumatic stress disorder. Nurses collaborate with mental health practitioners when giving care to communities affected by disasters (Newton, 2009).
Newton, A. T., & McIntosh, D. N. (2009). Associations of General Religiousness and Specific Religious Beliefs with Coping Appraisals in Response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 12, 129-146.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13674670802380400
Sharon Dube
Posted Date
Jan 27, 2022, 12:34 AM
Replies to Yasser Aguilar Abreu
Disasters are serious disruptions to the functioning of a community that exceed its capacity to cope with its own resources. Disasters can be natural, manmade, technological hazards as well as various factors that influence the exposure and vulnerability of a community, these include volcanic eruptions, wildfires, epidemics and pandemics or cold waves. (IFRC 2022). Spirituality is the inner belief system providing an individual with meaning and purpose in life, a sense of sacredness of life and a vision of the betterment of the world.It includes a persons beliefs, spiritual practices as well as spiritual experiences.( Doehring 2014). When a disaster occurs spirituality is questioned. Those experiencing trauma may begin to think that God or their higher being has abandoned them. They begin to question if God truly loves them and if he did why he has allowed a disaster to befall them, they may also begin to think that the curse was brought upon them to destroy them as they are not important. People facing challenge may become discontented with their religious community. Ongoing spiritual struggles and negative coping are associated with increased psychological and spiritual distress leading to depression. Survivors may be able to conserve life giving practices and beliefs that connect them with goodness or God. Positive religious coping decreases psychological and spiritual distress, anxiety, depression and increases post traumatic psychological and spiritual growth fostering spiritual integration.
It is important to spiritually assist individuals , the community, self and colleagues after a disaster or post trauma. Being present in the midst of a struggle shows care and interest in the wellbeing of the individual or community. Offering nonjudgmental presence is very important. Active listening and offering appropriate prayer and religious ritual can be applied. Showing care and compassion uplifts spirits of those who have been depressed by an event. It is also important to note that the burden of caring for others can lead to compassion fatigue therefore it is important that the healthcare provider gets adequate rest and selfceare.(Hughes 2018).
Reference
Hughes. M.G. 2018. Nine first things to know about emotional and spiritual care following disasters.retrieved from www.disasterphilanthropy.org
Doehring.C. 2014. Spiritual care after violence.Growing trauma with lived theology. retrieved from www.cct.biola.edu>spiritual-care
International federation of Red Cross and Red crescent Societies(IFRC) 2022. What is a disaster. retrieved fromwww.ifrc.org/what-disaster
Brandie Beck
replied toSharon Dube
Jan 27, 2022, 8:04 AM
- Replies to Sharon Dube
Hi Sharon, great post this week! I really enjoyed reading your discussion because it focuses on helping the community and individuals spiritually with prayers and religious rituals to help them cope. “These faith-based organizations provide support and assistance following their religious doctrines that speak largely of compassion, caring, and helping the less fortunate.” (Falkner, 2018) Faith based organizations help assist with disasters and provide food, water, and helping clean up after the disaster occurs. Some of these faith based organizations include Catholic Charities, United Methodist Committee on Relief, and Lutheran Disaster Response.
Resources
Grand Canyon University (Ed). (2018). Community & public health: The future of health care. Retrieved from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs427vn/community-and-public-health-the-future-of-health-care/v1.1/
- Yasser Aguilar Abreu
replied toSharon Dube
Jan 28, 2022, 12:26 PM
- Replies to Sharon Dube
SHARON
This is a great post! Disasters have been defined as severe disturbances to a community’s functioning that surpass the community’s ability to manage with its own resources (Hughes, 2018). Natural, man-made, technical dangers, as well as many elements that impact a community’s exposure and susceptibility, such as volcanic eruptions, wildfires, epidemics and pandemics, or cold waves, are all examples of disasters. Moreover, spirituality is an interior belief system that gives a person meaning and purpose in life, as well as a feeling of sanctity and a vision of a better world. When a calamity strikes, spirituality is called into doubt. Those who have been through trauma may believe that God or their higher self has abandoned them (Weinberg, 2020). They begin to wonder whether God genuinely loves them, and if so, why he has permitted a calamity to strike them. However, following a tragedy or post-traumatic event, it is critical to provide spiritual support to people, the community, oneself, and coworkers.
References
Hughes. M.G. 2018. Nine first things to know about emotional and spiritual care following disasters. www.disasterphilanthropy.org
Weinberg, M. (2020). Differences in the association of spirituality, forgiveness, PTSD and stress among social workers and social work students treating trauma survivors. Social work in health care, 59(6), 430-444. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2020.1781739