Ethics for the Pediatrician: Religion and Spirituality in Pediatrics

Abstract

1. Ferdinand D. Yates Jr, MD, MA* 1. *Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY. Even a brief tour of a hospital corridor will likely reveal examples of the interface of the practice of medicine and the employment of religion and spirituality (RS). Yet, within the medical domain, RS and the practice of medicine coexist in uneasy tension. In the care of the pediatric patient, RS issues may present relative to the patient, the patient's family, or the pediatrician. The consideration of RS, from the perspective of the physician, is often along the theme of the Right of Conscience, a topic that is outside the scope of this article. This discussion considers the appearance of RS from the viewpoint of the patient and the patient's family and reflects on the effect of RS in two different medical treatment scenarios: 1) where there appears to be minimal exposure or effect and 2) where there is identifiable interaction (often, but not necessarily, occurring at the bedside). This article reviews some of the medical objections to RS and encourages the pediatrician to approach these concerns with professional care and compassion. Terminology is especially important in this discussion. This article envisions “religion” as participation with the beliefs and worship patterns of a particular organized faith practice (typically as a faith community) and “spirituality” as the dynamic and personal experiential process (typically as an individual experience) that often evolves out of the faith practice. (1) Throughout this discussion, the term RS is used as the depiction of this dichotomy because the combined concept may be more useful in explaining the broadness of representation of both religion and spirituality as they interface the practice of pediatrics. RS application to the care of the …