Considering the Intersection of Religion and Neurosurgical Practice
Format
Oral Presentation
Faculty Mentor Name
Gary Howells
Faculty Mentor Department
Psychology
Abstract/Artist Statement
This study investigates how neurosurgeons’ religious commitments intersect with their clinical practice, and explores relationships between religiosity and clinical specialty. Previous research has focused on the desire of patients for spiritual support from clinicians, patient religiosity effecting health outcomes, and the ethical bounds of clinicians providing spiritual support. However, almost nothing is known about this phenomenon from the perspective of the physician. This inquiry takes the form of a qualitative study with significant data reported anonymously. Objectives include gathering data related to faith-based practices within the neurosurgical specialty, discovering how the physicians choose which spiritual practices to integrate, and learning about the process of implementing such practices and its impact on their patients. Previous findings support the use of spiritual values to support the patient, and empower the provider in addressing the well-being of the whole person. It is anticipated that this study will support those findings, and, perhaps most importantly, provide illumination and direction for future research. Potential applications include not only patient relevance, but also other less obvious areas, such as coping with burn out in the face of clinician shortage, and dealing with inappropriate professional conduct traditionally associated with high-pressure specialties.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Room 211
Start Date
20-4-2013 9:30 AM
End Date
20-4-2013 9:45 AM
Considering the Intersection of Religion and Neurosurgical Practice
DeRosa University Center, Room 211
This study investigates how neurosurgeons’ religious commitments intersect with their clinical practice, and explores relationships between religiosity and clinical specialty. Previous research has focused on the desire of patients for spiritual support from clinicians, patient religiosity effecting health outcomes, and the ethical bounds of clinicians providing spiritual support. However, almost nothing is known about this phenomenon from the perspective of the physician. This inquiry takes the form of a qualitative study with significant data reported anonymously. Objectives include gathering data related to faith-based practices within the neurosurgical specialty, discovering how the physicians choose which spiritual practices to integrate, and learning about the process of implementing such practices and its impact on their patients. Previous findings support the use of spiritual values to support the patient, and empower the provider in addressing the well-being of the whole person. It is anticipated that this study will support those findings, and, perhaps most importantly, provide illumination and direction for future research. Potential applications include not only patient relevance, but also other less obvious areas, such as coping with burn out in the face of clinician shortage, and dealing with inappropriate professional conduct traditionally associated with high-pressure specialties.