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