Case Study Healing and Autonomy Answer the following questions about a patient’s spiritual needs in light of the Christian worldview. In 200-250 words, respond to the following: Should the physician allow Mike to continue making decisions that seem to him to be irrational and harmful to James, or would that mean a disrespect of a patient’s autonomy? Explain your rationale.

James, Mike and Joanne’s son, was brought into the hospital for complications associated with a strep throat infection. However, it was established that he had kidney failure and acute glomerulonephritis. The attending physician noted that James needed immediate treatment to manage his current condition of acute glomerulonephritis and kidney failure, as well as temporary dialysis to help relieve the fluid buildup due to the acute glomerulonephritis and kidney failure. However, James’ parents, who are Christians, do not accept the physician’s recommendation for treatment and opt for a faith healing service, noting that their faith in God will help heal James. The physician respects patient autonomy and does not force the dialysis on James, although it would be beneficial, and allows them to pursue their faith but advises them to come back to the hospital. This leads to delayed medical care, leading to complications and further harm to James. Although James is brought back to the hospital, damage has been done, and a kidney transplant is needed. Mike is still hopeful for faith healing and sceptical about an organ transplant due to his Christian beliefs.

Whether for the physician to allow Mike to continue making decisions that seem to him to be irrational and harmful to James or not creates a complex ethical dilemma. In this case, weighing the scenario from the Christian worldview and ethical responsibilities can help inform the physician’s decisions and actions. Firstly, the physician has a responsibility to respect patient autonomy, ensure no harm comes to the patient, and provide the best possible care that is most beneficial to the patient. In this situation, despite Mike’s decisions seeming irrational and harmful to James’ health, he is the legal custodian and family member who has the authority to make decisions related to the type of care James receives. The physician must respect Mike’s autonomy as the decision-maker. For the physician to ensure he respects the patient’s autonomy and at the same time adheres to the ethical principles of beneficence and reducing patient harm, he must engage Mike in a conversation that aims to provide information on James’ current situation, possible complications, risk of death, and the possible and required treatments. The information provided should also explore the ethical principles from a Christian worldview, including providing details on autonomy and beneficence with a focus on the sanctity of life, love, and caring for others (Evans, 2020). This will help address any of Mike’s concerns, consider his Christian values, and make decisions based on a patient-physician collaboration. Suppose this does not work, and Mike continues to make decisions that further harm James. In that case, the physician has a responsibility to advocate for James as his patient and ensure that he receives the best medical care that alleviates his suffering. This means denying Mike the right to make decisions related to Mike’s health and the physician adhering to the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence.

In 400-500 words, respond to the following: How ought the Christian think about sickness and health? How should a Christian think about medical intervention? What should Mike, as a Christian, do? How should he reason about trusting God and treating James in relation to what is truly honoring the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence in James’s care?

The Christian worldview presents health as a gift from God, while disease is part of the suffering that befell man as a result of the fall (Bogue & Hogan, 2022). Health and disease are interrelated and are both a part of man. Based on this take, Christians ought to think about sickness and health generally as a part of their existence. The period of good health should be viewed as having found favor with God. It is evidence that one is well and blessed by God. On the other hand, the Christian world presents the period of sickness and disease as a consequence of living in a fallen world and that sickness and suffering are due to man’s sinful existence. The Christian worldview of disease as a consequence of man’s fall from the grace of God could discourage followers of the Christian faith from seeking medical interventions for their health issues, as in the case of James and his parents.

Consistently, Christians need to think about medical interventions as part of God’s given assistance to preserve the sanctity of life. Although God requires Christians to have faith in Him to provide a solution to their suffering, they also need to consider medical interventions. In this case, they must balance their faith in God and the benefits of modern medicine. The ethical principle of autonomy from a Christian worldview notes that God has placed humanity as a steward of God’s creatio