Why Critical Care Doctors Should not Challenge Religion

Liz Crowe

WHY?

WHO IS QUALIFIED TO TALK ABOUT RELIGION?

COF

When Did Religion Become a Bad Word?

• #abuse• #conservative• #anti-intellectualism• #war• #terrorism• #prejudice• #politics

Critical Care Drs Should Not Challenge Religion because:

• Hedge your bets people

• People of faith are less likely to engage in futile therapies and to die at peace

• Challenging religious beliefs risks rupturing a therapeutic alliance (Turner, 2014)

Health care decisions are not mechanical, they are emotional and embedded in patients

values, personalities, cultural, spiritual and religious beliefs - Cooper et al 2014

Faith can be a valuable crutch for people in hardship and during a crisis it is the wrong

time to kick it away – Dr Mark Hayden GOSH 2015

Need to Congregate and Worship

Divine intervention – a ‘miracle’ –may become the ultimate treatment option when all else has failed. Sulmasy, 2007

AMEN THEORY• A: AFFIRM you are hopeful, would love a miracle

for them• M: MEET the family where they are at• E: EDUCATE maintain your professional opinion • N: NO matter what assure the family that you are

committed and connected no matter the outcomeCooper et al 2014