Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity In today’s society, diversity amongst the different faiths in healthcare engender many challenges for healthcare professionals. It is the responsibility of the healthcare professionals to cater to the physical needs of the patient while also respecting his or her faith. Christianity and Buddhism are common faiths that are likely to be found in the healthcare setting and they both hold specific belief systems that should be accounted for when caring for patients of either faith. Healthcare professionals must be knowledgeable and aware of the belief systems and spiritual aspects of health and healing that the patients have as it may influence their care. Buddhism Buddhism is a religion that has stemmed …show more content…
The core teachings of Buddha include the Four Noble Truths, which are a four central beliefs leading to the cessation of suffering. The Four Noble Truths include the path of suffering, the cause of suffering, the truth of suffering and the end of suffering (Harvey, 2013). The Truths are used as guidance to persevere when encountering a time of mental or physical suffering. Buddhists aim to attain the highest possible state, which is a state of enlightenment known as Nirvana. During Nirvana, Buddhists arrive at the cycle of birth and rebirth and achieve a state free from …show more content…
The teachings of both Buddhism and Christianity have been established around individuals that are influential and holy- Buddha and Jesus respectively. Both faiths also consider health to be much more than just physical. They embrace health as being spiritual and mental as well and use meditation or prayer to expedite healing. Individuals working in the healthcare setting can expect to encounter patients of either faith to hold spiritual rituals or practices when in their care. Although there are many similarities between Buddhism and Christianity, there are also many differences. Buddhism is practiced as a lifestyle and everything Buddhist do is in relation to their faith. Christianity is also a lifestyle, but it incorporates the relationship between God and humanity. Another difference between the two faiths is that Christians are renewed through worship and prayer, while Buddhists are renewed through meditation. Christians also believe in an eternal life with God, the Father Buddhists, on the other hand, believe that they are reborn after death. The worldview questions of reality are addressed differently from both faiths as Christians believe the world can be understood through God and Buddhists believe the world cannot be fully perceived. Although these faiths have many differences, their approach to spiritual care is quite