Taking Care Of Mormons In The Medical Field

In health care today, cultural sensitivity is a topic that is very important when it comes to improving the overall health of a patient. Being culturally sensitive contributes towards a trusting relationship between the healthcare worker and the patient. It allows the patient to feel comfortable and respected throughout their time of treatment.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or LDS, considers itself to be a part of the Christian community that embraces concepts of both Christianity as well as the findings of their founder, Joseph Smith. The Latter-Day Saints, also called Mormons, are predominantly based in Salt Lake City, Utah, but the church has more than 15 million members all across the world (“Mormons,”2017).

Cultural Analysis and Health Care Needs Identification

There are a few beliefs that stand out in the Mormon faith, one of which is that there are three levels of heaven itself; celestial, terrestrial, and telestial. The church believes that only those in the celestial realm are able to live in God’s presence. In addition, Mormons follow strict rules surrounding their clothing and respect for authority. Performing good deeds and completing missionary work while on Earth are absolutely pertinent to this faith. Finally, Mormons follow one of the strictest healthcare routines of any faith; there is no alcohol, tobacco, coffee, or tea allowed in their systems (“Mormons,”2017).

In addition to this part of their healthcare, the Church of Latter-Day Saints has a few specific beliefs related to their healthcare. Alongside the careful care of their bodies, Mormons do not believe in abortion but do believe that modern-day birth control is acceptable only if it is used post-marriage. Those in the Mormon faith believe that their lives should be protected and all medical care in order to protect this should be accepted, this includes blood transfusions and organ transplants. End-of-life care is always encouraged; however, due to this devout faith in the afterlife, should someone feel as if they are ready to pass without intervention from healthcare professionals, they have the right to make this choice following communion with the Lord. Finally, fasting is a large part of the Mormon faith so it’s pertinent to remember that there are certain times of the month where those within the faith will skip meals to commune with God more appropriately (Harmer, 2017).

Despite what may be believed by those who are unaware of the LDS religion as a whole, Mormons do accept modern medicine and the vast majority of the benefits that come alongside it. Mormons accept all vaccinations, surgeries, take prescription and over-the-counter medication, etc.

Personal Reflections

I was brought up in a Christian family but my parents never pushed religion on me. They were accepting in whatever I wanted to believe in. I do believe in a higher power but I don’t actively practice. I never go to church on Sundays but I do pray from time to time. Although our religions are different, some of my beliefs align with the Mormon religion in terms of healthcare. I too believe in the importance of all medical care in terms of blood transfusions and organ transplants. One thing that counteracts with my beliefs and the Mormon beliefs is that I am pro-choice and believe that women should have access to birth control before marriage and should be allowed to have an abortion should they choose to do so.

Interprofessional Collaboration

When caring for a Mormon patient, one thing that may be asked of the healthcare professional is the admittance of a priest into the healthcare facility. Because the Church of Latter-Day Saints believes in life after death, they would often have a priest come in to bless them should they undergo any major procedure. On top of this, it’s necessary for healthcare professionals to be aware of the sacred undergarments that devout Mormons wear every day of their life. These undergarments may be taken off but they do mean a lot to the Mormon faith and should be treated as such (Harmer, 2017).

In addition, healthcare professionals should be aware of the large number of people who will likely visit these patients in the hospital. Because Mormons believe in good deeds and caring for others as much as one should care for themselves, when a member of their church is in need, other members could show up to provide support in flocks. Unless the person is unable to see their fellow Latter-Day Saints, a large part of caring for those in this faith will likely feel better-taking visitors (Harmer, 2017).

With all of this being said, it’s necessary to discuss the mental and physical tolls that can also occur for those within the faith. The Mormon community is not accepting of same-sex marriages whatsoever. While they acknowledge that same-sex attraction can occur, they feel that marriage and sexual intercourse should be reserved strictly for those who remain in heterosexual relationships. Similarly, women who are unable to carry out their duties of providing children to males are often looked upon as less than in comparison to those who are able to bear children for their husbands. This could be a good reason to bring in a counselor if the patient was wanting to talk about their mental and physical tolls.

In congruence with this, former members of the LDS, especially those who are newly removed from the faith, maybe fearful of visits from those within the church. For this reason, it’s necessary to always check with the patient to be certain that they are comfortable with any and all visitors in their room as well as those who may be present in the healthcare setting in general. Those who leave the faith are looked down upon and there have been times where those still within the faith may try to change the newly removed person’s mind (Cordero & Romero, 2017). In accordance with HIPPA and basic instincts, always take the time to make sure the patient is comfortable. If drastic measures needed to be taken, this would be a time to bring in a 24-hour sitter.

Conclusion

Like most religions, LDS do have certain policies that they feel strongly on. As stated previously, while those within the church are comfortable with all forms of modern medicine, priests and loved ones will likely be present throughout the majority of the stay for those patients and it’s absolutely necessary to be certain that these traditions are respected. It’s not unheard of that patients respond better to treatment when their wishes and traditions are honored so it’s always important to be aware of the different beliefs and cultures in today’s healthcare.