Assessment Description
How can the Christian concept of the imago Dei inform a holistic perspective of the patient within their family and community?
Initial discussion question posts should be a minimum of 200 words and include at least two references cited using APA format. Responses to peers or faculty should be 100-150 words and include one reference. Refer to “Discussion Question Rubric” and “Participation Rubric,” located in Class Resources, to understand the expectations for initial discussion question posts and participation posts, respectively.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education
This assignment aligns with AACN Core Competencies: 2.3
Solution (Sample)
The idea of the imago Dei, or the conviction that all people are made in God’s image and likeness, is fundamental to Christian theology. This essential insight significantly impacts the healthcare industry, especially in holistic care that considers the needs of the patient’s family and community.
The concept of the imago Dei represents the intrinsic value and dignity of every individual, irrespective of their situation or state of being. It acknowledges that every person is a particular manifestation of God’s creation with potential and intrinsic worth (Pasaribu et al., 2022). This knowledge pushes medical professionals to adopt a holistic approach that views the patient as a whole person, intricately entwined in a web of relationships, instead of a strictly medical paradigm that concentrates on treating physical problems.
Healthcare professionals are compelled to consider the effects of disease on the patient’s family and community in addition to the individual when seeing patients through the prism of the imago Dei. Illness can cause marital problems, interfere with roles and obligations, and elicit a variety of feelings, such as grief and despair, in addition to dread and worry (Sonessa, 2021). Healthcare providers can play a critical role in helping the patient’s family and community during these trying times by offering education, counseling, and emotional support.
Healthcare professionals are likewise encouraged by the imago Dei to acknowledge the patient’s place in their community. Every person weaves a thread through relationships, fills a role, and enhances the group’s well-being. Illness can sabotage these relationships, making it more difficult for the patient to engage in meaningful community involvement. In addition to promoting community support and connections, healthcare providers can help patients stay involved in their community.
Healthcare professionals can go beyond the conventional medical model and take a more comprehensive approach to patient care by accepting the imago Dei. This entails being aware of each patient’s unique experience, interactions with family and the community, and how their condition affects their mental and social health. This method not only improves the patient’s quality of treatment but also fosters resiliency and healing in the community and family.
References
Pasaribu, A. G., Sipahutar, R. C., & Hutabarat, E. H. (2022). Imago Dei and ecology: Rereading Genesis 1: 26-28 from the perspective of Toba Batak in the ecological struggle in Tapanuli, Indonesia. Verbum et Ecclesia, 43(1), 1-7.
Sonessa, W. L. (2021). Imago Dei and the Tensions of Ethnic Identity. Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 56(1), 116-147.
How does your worldview of human value affect your beliefs about bioethical issues, such as abortion, designer babies, and stem cell research?
Initial discussion question posts should be a minimum of 200 words and include at least two references cited using APA format. Responses to peers or faculty should be 100-150 words and include one reference. Refer to the “Discussion Question Rubric” and “Participation Rubric,” located in Class Resources, to understand the expectations for initial discussion question posts and participation posts, respectively.
SAMPLE SOLUTION
As a nurse, I think all people have inherent worth and dignity, regardless of when they are born or pass away naturally. My stance on bioethical issues like stem cell research, designer babies, and abortion is shaped by this worldview.
Significant ethical conundrums are raised by the abortion debate (Mainey et al., 2020). Even though I support women’s right to make educated decisions about their reproductive health, I also think that a fetus has intrinsic worth and is a distinct human being from the moment of conception. In my opinion, abortion ought to be reserved for extreme circumstances, such as severe fetal deformities or situations in which the mother’s life or health is in jeopardy.
The prospect of producing designer offspring by favoring particular genetic characteristics raises worries over eugenics and the commercialization of human existence. I believeCultural norms or parental choices shouldn’t be the only factors influencing a child’s genetic composition. Personalized treatment plans and preventative actions should be the main priorities to improve human health and well-being (Eriksson et al., 2023).
Research on stem cells has enormous potential to advance medical care and enhance public health. On the other hand, using embryonic stem cells presents moral questions with the killing of embryos. It is wrong to pursue stem cell research at the sacrifice of human life to reap its possible advantages. Prioritizing other stem cell sources, like adult stem cells, is a good idea.
My perspective as a nurse strongly emphasizes the intrinsic worth of every human being, from conception to natural death. This viewpoint shapes my views on bioethical matters, which motivates me to support moral behavior that respects and upholds human dignity. I think it’s important to carefully weigh the effects of technological breakthroughs in healthcare, ensuring they’re applied to enhance human happiness and well-being rather than devalue human life.
References
Eriksson, L. V., Holmberg, K., Hagelin, C. L., Wengström, Y., Bergkvist, K., & Winterling, J. (2023). Symptom burden and recovery in the first year after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Cancer Nursing, 46(1), 77-85.
Mainey, L., O’Mullan, C., Reid‐Searl, K., Taylor, A., & Baird, K. (2020). The role of nurses and midwives in the provision of abortion care: a scoping review. Journal of clinical nursing, 29(9-10), 1513-1526.
Assessment Description
This assignment will focus on introducing you to the question of human dignity and, in particular, the Christian perspective of the intrinsic worth and value of each person. You will have the opportunity to integrate this insight with scientific and philosophical approaches that inform judgements made in health care and contrast it with secular approaches to human value and worth. The logic of human rights will be made explicit as you engage with different concepts of “moral status.”
Based on your reading of the “Case Study: Fetal Abnormality” and topic Resources, complete the “Moral Status: Case Analysis” document in a maximum of 1,000-words, in which you will analyze the case study in relation to the following:
- Christian view of the nature of human persons, theory of moral status, intrinsic human value, and dignity
- Theory or theories used by individuals in the case to determine the moral status
- How each theory used determines or influences recommendations for action
- Moral status theory personal response
- Integration of knowledge in health care (theories, multiple ways of knowing, evidence) and knowledge from other disciplines inform and support current or future professional health care practices and judgements
Support your response using only Chapter 2 from the textbook Practicing Dignity: An Introduction to Christian Values and Decision-Making in Health Care and the Topic 2 Resource “The Image of God, Bioethics, and Persons With Profound Intellectual Disabilities.”
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education
This assignment aligns with AACN Core Competencies: 1.3