Part Two - The Pastoral and Spiritual Responsibility of Catholic Health Care
CASE STUDY
CASE #3: A CHALLENGE OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY
There is an 82-year-old, critically ill female patient in the hospital's intensive care unit. Born in Laos, this woman immigrated to the United States after the close of the Vietnam War. While some of her family members have become accustomed to American ways, the patient has retained her original language, culture, and spiritual beliefs. Physicians tell her children and grandchildren that she will die soon. The family would like to bring a shaman to the hospital to guide her to the spirit world. They discuss a healing ceremony that would involve the sacrifice of a chicken. They also bring amulets to apply during the ceremony. The nurse manager of the ICU expresses concern about the healing ceremony and wonders if it should be permitted. He notes that animals and even amulets could compromise the sterile environment not only for this patient, but for others.
CASE QUESTIONS
1. What ethical issues do you see here?
View answer
- Respect for the dignity of the patient and family by respecting religious and cultural traditions.
- Respect for the dignity and well-being of other patients—their safety.
2. Which Directive(s) apply to the case?
View answer
- Directives 10 and 11 from Part Two are directly applicable, as is the Introduction to Part Two which emphasizes that Catholic health care extends to the spiritual nature of the person as well as to other dimensions of the person.
- The emphasis on respecting human dignity in the Introduction to Part One is also very important as well as Directive 23 in Part Three.
3. How might the Directive(s) help address the case?
View answer
- While directives 10 and 11 do not resolve this case, they do point to the importance of ministering to patients' spiritual needs and to respecting their particular religious beliefs and traditions. At the same time, the human dignity of all parties must be respected, including that of other patients.
- The directives suggest finding some way to accommodate the wishes of the family without jeopardizing the well-being and safety of other patients in the ICU.