Question

Pray with me Sharon B. Buchbinder

You are the Vice President of Nursing Services in a nondenominational community hospital, and you receive a complaint from a patient, who is a Wiccan. The patient and her primary care nurse, Penny Baker, were discussing her religious practices and how she prays, when another nurse, Ruth Goose, walked into the room, stated, “Thou shall not suffer a witch amongst you,” and told Penny not to discuss the “satanic religion” with the patient anymore. The patient demands an apology and threatens to go to the media. She feels she has been discriminated against because she is a Wiccan and that her patient care experience was poor during her hospitalization because of her spiritual beliefs. You convene a meeting with Penny and her immediate supervisor, Ruth Goose. Ruth Goose is wearing a large gold cross on her neck. Penny wears no jewelry and is dressed in her blue scrubs. When you ask Penny what happened, Ruth answers for her. “She did the right thing. We don’t have to pray with witches. They worship Satan. It’s blasphemy. What’s next? Human sacrifice?” Penny can’t get a word in edgewise. Ruth keeps repeating “Thou shalt not suffer a witch amongst you, it says so in Leviticus!”What should you do?

Role Play Penny Baker: One student is Penny Baker, the primary care nurse. She has no problem with the patient’s religion; in fact, she was curious about it and wanted to learn more. However, her boss, Ruth Goose, walked in the room just as the patient disclosed to Penny she was a Wiccan. Penny is about to come up for her annual review next month.

Ruth Goose: A nonordained minister, Ruth has her own interpretation of what constitutes a “real” religion. She is not at all happy with the idea of even having a Wiccan in the hospital, much less praying with one. Ruth is about to come up for her annual review next month, too.

VP of Nursing: One student is the VP. It is that student’s job to determine what happened in the incident and what the underlying issues are in this situation. The student should have an action plan in place after this conversation.

Discussion Questions: 1. What are the facts of this case? 2. What is the nature of the organizational behavior problem? 3. What are three factors contributing to this dilemma?.    What are the top three management issues in this case? 5. Who should be responsible for addressing these organizational issues? 6. What kind of differences in spiritual and religious practices are you familiar with? What if the patient had asked Penny to pray with her? Should she have done so? Discuss the pros and cons of praying with patients. Provide your reflections and personal opinions as well as your recommendations for addressing the issue of praying with patients.

Background Statement?

Major Problems and Secondary Issues?

Your Role?

Organizational Strengths and Weaknesses?

Alternatives and Recommended Solutions?

Evaluation?

Answer 1

As a vice President,as nurse I should support the patient's moral and religious values. Each one has their own beliefs..In this question, patient has a right to believe her own religion, Penny has no problem with patient. religion and Ruth has her own interpretation what constitutes a real religion.There are some kind of organisational behaviour problems.1- Managerial challenges 2- work place challenges 3- organisational challenges 4- global challenges and environmental challenges.In this we can find work place challenges and managerial challenges. The dilemma caused by 3 factors patient religious views, primary nurse religious views and supervisor religious views. The three management issues are I think nurse should have no right to interfere the patient beliefs.,,do not insult the patient . patient needs moral support from hospital staff according to their mental and physical status.The supervisor is mainly responsible to solve this issue. In my opinion each one has their own beliefs and attitudes Don't under estimate anyone. especially they are patients.There is no need to pray with patient but don't minimize the patient feeling.The nurses primary duty is giving care, mental support..