Case Study: Healing and Autonomy Mike and Joanne are the parents of James and Samuel, identical twins born 8 years ago. James is currently suffering from acute glomerulonephritis, kidney failure. James was originally brought into the hospital for complications associated with a strep throat infection. The spread of the A streptococcus infection led to the subsequent kidney failure. James’s condition was acute enough to warrant immediate treatment. Usually cases of acute glomerulonephritis caused by strep infection tend to improve on their own or with an antibiotic. However, James also had elevated blood pressure and enough fluid buildup that required temporary dialysis to relieve. The attending physician suggested immediate dialysis. After some time of discussion with Joanne, Mike informs the physician that they are going to forego the dialysis and place their faith in God. Mike and Joanne had been moved by a sermon their pastor had given a week ago, and also had witnessed a close f

Case Study: Healing and Autonomy

Mike and Joanne are the parents of James and Samuel, identical twins born 8 years ago. James is currently suffering from acute glomerulonephritis, kidney failure. James was originally brought into the hospital for complications associated with a strep throat infection. The spread of the A streptococcus infection led to the subsequent kidney failure. James’s condition was acute enough to warrant immediate treatment.

Usually cases of acute glomerulonephritis caused by strep infection tend to improve on their own or with an antibiotic. However, James also had elevated blood pressure and enough fluid buildup that required temporary dialysis to relieve.

The attending physician suggested immediate dialysis. After some time of discussion with Joanne, Mike informs the physician that they are going to forego the dialysis and place their faith in God. Mike and Joanne had been moved by a sermon their pastor had given a week ago, and also had witnessed a close friend regain mobility when she was prayed over at a healing service after a serious stroke.

They thought it more prudent to take James immediately to a faith healing service instead of putting James through multiple rounds of dialysis. Yet, Mike and Joanne agreed to return to the hospital after the faith healing services later in the week, and in hopes that James would be healed by then.

Two days later the family returned and was forced to place James on dialysis, as his condition had deteriorated. Mike felt perplexed and tormented by his decision to not treat James earlier. Had he not enough faith? Was God punishing him or James? To make matters worse, James’s kidneys had deteriorated such that his dialysis was now not a temporary matter and was in need of a kidney transplant.

Crushed and desperate, Mike and Joanne immediately offered to donate one of their own kidneys to James, but they were not compatible donors. Over the next few weeks, amidst daily rounds of dialysis, some of their close friends and church members also offered to donate a kidney to James. However, none of them were tissue matches.

James’s nephrologist called to schedule a private appointment with Mike and Joanne. James was stable, given the regular dialysis, but would require a kidney transplant within the year. Given the desperate situation, the nephrologist informed Mike and Joanne of a donor that was an ideal tissue match, but as of yet had not been considered—James’s brother Samuel.

Mike vacillates and struggles to decide whether he should have his other son Samuel lose a kidney or perhaps wait for God to do a miracle this time around. Perhaps this is where the real testing of his faith will come in? Mike reasons, “This time around it is a matter of life and death. What could require greater faith than that?”

Ethical and Spiritual Decision-Making

The Physician’s Role

Physicians are required to respect patients’ autonomy by allowing patients to make decisions on matters that touch on their health. If a patient is a minor, the physician has to involve the parents, and allow them to decide whether their child should receive treatment. For the physician, coercing Mike and Joanne to have James treated would amount to the breach of autonomy or consent agreement (Reis-Dennis, 2020). 

However, the physician can only facilitate the parents’ decisions by explaining the available treatment options including the adverse health events associated with the treatment and the delayed clinical intervention. When communicating with Mike and Joanne, the physician may have to stress the importance of early intervention, explaining to the parents the physiological issues that James is at risk of developing if his treatment is delayed (Varkey, 2021).

If possible, they can reach out to a religious leader to explain to the parents why it is important that they seek treatment for their child. If the physician feels that Mike’s decisions are irrational, and could potentially lead to James losing his life, they may pursue legal solutions. This is important because the court can make a ruling that favors James especially if the court determines that the parents are responsible for causing James’ suffering. 

The Christian Worldview

Sickness and Health

The bible ties suffering to the sin that the original humans committed because the fall started when the first humans disobeyed God. However, Jesus came to redeem humans from the effect of sin. The bible also speaks of how God allows people to suffer as a way of tasting their faith in him. When one suffers therefore, they should view this experience as a test of their faith in God.

The story of Job is particularly relevant to Christians because it demonstrates how trusting in God even during a period of suffering, can eventually lead to recovery. However, a Christian should consider suffering as a temporary experience because through prayers, people can achieve the restoration of their health (Alfahmi, 2022).  

View on Medical Intervention 

While Christians believe that people can recover from illnesses if they pray, Christians approve of some medical interventions. If a Christian encounters a situation in which they have to choose between treatment and prayer, it is important that they refer to the concept of Imago Dei which emphasizes the idea of human resemblance of God.

If a Christian adopts this perspective, they would consider humans as having God-given knowledge to develop treatments that can help save lives, and promote individuals’ health. Additionally, a Christian should believe that humans received divine instructions from God to continue with the creation, and to take care of different forms of life in the world (Guiahi et al., 2019).

Reasoning from this perspective, therefore, a Christian should view participating in clinical intervention as a way of answering God’s call to have humans take care of the world and everything in it.      

Recommendation Action that Mike should take

Considering the Christian worldviews on health, illness and medical intervention, Mike should make decisions with the health of James in mind. This would require that he consider a solution beyond his faith considering that the bible emphasizes loving others with equal measure that one loves themselves. Guided by this principle, Mike should allow James to undergo treatment because this is likely to help save his life, and prevent his suffering (Nissen, Viftrup, & Hvidt, 2021). 

Mike’ reasoning about trusting God and Treatment of James

Regarding trusting God, Mike should believe that God intervenes by working through those who provide clinical interventions. As he trusts God, he should understand that God is compassionate. Even as he prays and depends on his faith to have James healed, he should not solely rely on his faith because this may continue causing James to suffer.  

Spiritual Needs Assessment

Because holistic care is fundamental to the delivery of optimal care, the physician should emphasize on addressing the spiritual needs of Mike and Joanne. With this kind of assessment, the physician would gather details about the different aspects of the family’s beliefs including how they affect their interpretation of health and illness.

The details collected from assessing the family&rs