A time out for prayer

AUTHORS

Javid PJ , Joharifard S , Nyagetuba MJK , Hansen EN , . World journal of surgery. 2024 3 19; ().

PMID: 38502096 [PubMed].

ABSTRACT

Compassionate care of the surgical patient recognizes the wholeness of each individual. Patients and their caregivers come to healthcare providers with the hope of relief from pain and suffering and aspirations for the potential to feel well or be “normal” again. Many lean on their personal faith and prayer for spiritual comfort and petitions for healing. We discuss a case in which prayer is incorporated into the surgical Time Out, a scenario not uncommon in faith-based hospitals, and offer a framework to evaluate the practice that incorporates ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, patient/parental autonomy, justice, and the fiduciary responsibility of the healthcare provider.

Tags: 2024 Alumni Publications