Components of a Healing Hospital Essay

A healing physical environment, a culture of radical loving care and integration of technology are all key components of a healing hospital. These three very important factors must be taken into consideration for a healing hospital to be successful. Instituting these three components and integrating them into a hospital can be very challenging at best with many barriers which need to be overcome. In this paper, a discussion of the three components and investigation of the challenges and barriers that healing hospitals must conquer will be presented.

One component of a healing hospital is creating a healing physical environment. This means a quiet environment so patients can sleep which enables their cells to regenerate much faster and accelerates the healing process (Eberst, 2006). To promote a quiet environment, physical changes in the hospital may need to occur if they are not already in place. Components of a Healing Hospital Essay. A few examples of physical changes are carpeted patient care areas, putting a silencer on cleaning machines and instituting a policy of no overhead paging unless there is an emergent situation (Eberst, 2006). The quiet environment also has a secondary advantage of creating a stress free environment for patients, families, employees and all other health care personnel (Eberst, 2006).

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Another component is fostering a culture of radical loving care which is considered the most important of the three. Radical loving care occurs when all employees join together and commit to creating an environment of caring focused on each and every patient (Chapman, 2003). For example, a patient turns on their call light and the administrator or a maintenance employee is walking down the hallway, the administrator or maintenance employee sees the light and immediately, without hesitation, goes into the patients room to see what the patients needs are. This is the true concept of radical loving care where each patient is everyone’s patient. This approach encompasses the healing of patients by not only meeting their physical needs but also their spiritual and emotional needs (Eberst, 2006).

The last component is integrating technology into the hospital. First, it is important that we find ways to provide patients with more privacy and security (Eberst, 2006). This will allow them the preservation of their dignity during their hospitalization which can be a very stressful time for some patients (Eberst, 2006). Also, it is beneficial to provide patients with some in-room entertainment such as offering educational materials related to their specific problem, music and other activities (Eberst, 2006). Furthermore, having technologically advanced equipment is advantageous to the patients as it can speed up the process when getting test results in areas such as radiology, lab and so on which in turn helps to decrease the patients anxiety (Eberst, 2006). Components of a Healing Hospital Essay.

Instituting the components needed for a healing hospital can be challenging with many barriers that will need to be overcome. First, there is the challenge of bringing the physicians, nurses and all other staff on board with the philosophy of a healing hospital (Ananth, 2009). It is imperative that there be open lines of communication between all staff members and that all staff view each patient as theirs, not hers or his (Ananth, 2009). Furthermore, when hiring employees, it is essential to look for people who are willing to go above and beyond for their patient’s and peers as well as having the appropriate skills necessary for the position in which they are applying (Eberst, 2006). Building a team who supports the philosophy of a healing hospital is imperative.when creating a culture encompassing radical loving care. Developing this culture will take the healthcare workers back to why they became healthcare workers in the first place (Eberst, 2006). This culture is based on a holistic approach to healing which involves meeting the patient’s physical, spiritual and emotional needs (Eberst, 2006). The employees need to understand that they are invited into the lives of their patients during an extremely stressful time in their patient’s lives and that they can make a difference with each encounter they have with that patient or the patient’s family (Eberst, 2006).

Furthermore, there is the challenge of creating a healing physical environment which presents a financial barrier for most hospitals to overcome. To promote healing, it is important that the hospital is able to provide a quiet environment. There are several ways a hospital can accomplish this such as having all hallways carpeted, putting silencers on cleaning machines and allowing no overhead pages except in cases of emergencies (Eberst, 2006). Components of a Healing Hospital Essay. However, these interventions can be costly if the hospital does not already have carpeted hallways, silencers on their machines or alternative methods of communication already in place for the staff as they would not be doing over head paging (Eberst, 2006). The benefits of a quiet environment not only creates and promotes an optimal healing environment for patient’s but also provides a calmer, stress free environment for employees (Eberst, 2006).

Lastly, it is important for the healing hospital to integrate work design and technology into their hospitals for employees and patients. It is important to find ways for staff to work more efficiently, provide additional privacy and security for patients as well as providing technologically advanced equipment that expedite test results (Eberst, 2006). For the staff, implementing an electronic medical record system will allow more efficient access to the patient’s medical record. By providing additional privacy and security for patient’s, this preserves the patient’s dignity (Eberst, 2006). As for the technologically advanced equipment, it enables quicker test results which will decrease the patient’s anxiety that often occurs with long wait times for results (Eberst, 2006). There are many other things that can be done in this area but it is important to remember that the costs of these changes are a huge barrier to most hospitals.

There is a bible verse that fits with the philosophy of a healing hospital, Jeremiah 33:6. This passage is about health and healing of the people to enable them to enjoy abundant peace and security in their lives. The healing hospital supports the aspects of this passage. Care providers facilitate the healing of patients patient’s physically, emotionally and spiritually which gives them a sense of security and peace Jeremiah 33:6 (King James).

In conclusion, for a healing hospital to truly be successful all three components must be instituted and the barriers and challenges over come. Healing hospitals focus on all aspects of the patients needs and create an environment that is conducive to optimal healing. Every employee has a unique opportunity and the ability to have a role in the healing of all patients. The healing hospitals philosophy is centered on the holistic aspects of care and promotes care not only for the patient but also encompasses the family. Components of a Healing Hospital Essay. All hospitals should consider instituting the philosophy of the healing hospital as it provides compassionate care to patients and excellence in the services they provide as well as increased staff satisfaction.

As stated by Erie Chapman “healing hospitals” are centers of love characterized by a myriad of wonderful encounters, many small and a few large (2011). This paradigm of such a caring concept focuses on removing stressors for patients, families and caregivers from the clinical environment. These stressors inhibit healing but are inherent to this milieu.

Realizing that the hospital environment is generally thought of as a place for the diagnosing and the treating of ailments and injuries of the patient, the intrinsic factor of relieving such stressful factors as painful treatments and loss of personal freedom and worth related to prolonged hospitalization and expense of complicated procedures are minimized by recognizing the worth of touching the mind, body and spirit and maintaining comprehensive care through attention to dignity and privacy.

The emergence of this concept aims to enhance the overall well-being of the patients’ and their families’ cognitive, emotional and spiritual concerns (Milstein, 2005). Overcoming the barriers that exist in the arena of the hospital setting is the underpinning of the paradigm of the “healing hospital”. This paper will examine all aspects of the “caring environment” through the connection with the spiritual enlightenment mixed with the clinical care of the patients, families and caregivers. Components of a Healing Hospital Essay.

Components of a Healing Hospital The “healing hospital” as discussed in Radical Loving Care is not made of just walls, windows and mortar but exudes the culture of love and caring (Chapman, 2011). The three fundamental components of this hospital are a healing physical environment, the integration of work design and technology and the culture of Radical Loving Care. When these components intertwine with the framework of the Golden Thread, they blend to create an environment hat strikes balance between technology and the human spirit as it connects both healers and patients (The healing hospital, 2011). A Healing Physical Environment The healing environment begs the inclusion of all five senses, physical stressors, noise and panic, aesthetic qualities and physical environment. In this arena loving and compassionate care can engage the patient, family and staff in a less distracted environment which gives opportunity for the healing to become a spiritual practice (Watson, n. d. ). Integrating Work Design and Technology

The second key component integrates the work design so that the privacy and access to security of patients is ensured. The highest quality equipment and information systems enhance the ability of the physician and other health care professionals to deliver timely diagnoses and treatments. The patient-centered rooms create and incorporate a gentle environment of high technology focused on the total education, comfort and emotional care by including a system that delivers information as well as music, art and entertainment.

A Culture of Radical Loving Care The third and most critical component is embracing the culture of Radical Loving Care espoused by Erie Chapman (2011). Components of a Healing Hospital Essay. In the New King James Version Bible (NKJV), John 13: 34 – 35 recants the admonition of Jesus to his disciples regarding a new commandment; “A new command I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have loved one another. ”

The example of loving services that Jesus admonished the disciples is the loving service symbolized by the imagery of the Golden Thread. First by creating a positive environment of healing; second by meshing the love and need in the “sacred encounter” between caregiver and patient; and lastly the greatest expression of love, the “servant’s heart” (Chapman, 2011). When all are interwoven the “loving care and the clinical care” become the true expression of “healing care” which represents the true vision of the “healing hospital (Chapman, 2011).

Challenges and Complexities of the Healing Hospital The Healing Hospital is the light at the end of our health care gloomy tunnel. However there are still hurdles to overcome as the characteristics of a healing hospital meet head long with the complexities of traditional modern health care. The five influences stated in Radical Loving Care present refutable challenges when addressed in light of Mr. Chapman’s healing concept. Advancing medical technology has so dominated the health care profession that the roots of healing have been pushed aside.

By marrying “loving care” with technology patient satisfaction will increase. In turn the business factors such as market share and profitability can also be set to rest by the more positive outcomes resulting from the philosophy of healing the body, mind and spirit through the development of the “servant’s heart”. Bureaucracy involves layers of unnecessary as well as unfeeling tasks that preempt timely care, restrictive patient environments and the stripping away of personal attention by relegating patients to number and diagnosis without names. Components of a Healing Hospital Essay.

Understanding the “loving care” commitment is not just lip service but reality, there is no room for the cynicism of those who do not conform to the philosophy. The staff working in this environment as well as the leadership must be totally committed to promoting healing as a spiritual, emotional and physical experience between patients, families and caregivers. Finally leadership is essential to the health and well-being of those in their charge the staff.

The too must display the “servant’s heart” and an active participant in the “sacred encounter”. They must be willing to accept the role of servant leadership and dare to strive to Lead Like Jesus (O’Brien, 2011). Biblical Passage In the book of Acts 9:36-42 NKJV, the story of Tabitha also known as Dorcas, a disciple of Jesus, became sick and died. Because of her great faith and love for the poor and needy in her community of Joppa, her friends sent for the apostle Peter. Peter came and prayed over her and she was restored to life.

God saw fit to restore her to life because of her servant’s heart and her love, obedience and willingness to share all that she had with others. Being so loved by the family of believers, when they prayed for a miracle, God granted it. This passage certainly exemplifies the concepts of Radical Loving Care, faith, hope and love. I Corinthians 13:13 NKJV affirms “And now abides faith, hope, love these three; but the greatest of these is love. ” Conclusion The “Healing Hospital” is a radical concept in patient-centered care in a newly emerging health care environment.

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With the impending changes at all levels of health care, the enhancement of patient outcomes when treated in a holistic environment will become more sought after and implemented. With that said, the healing hospital paradigm of compassionate radical love will forge a new path in the clinical arena so that the hope, coping strategies and spirituality practiced will become the bench mark of health care regardless of whether in a secular or religious environment. The opportunity of showing brotherly love will challenge the health care professional to share God’s love to all they encounter. Components of a Healing Hospital Essay.
References

Chapman, E. (2011). Radical loving care: Building the healing hospital in America. Nashville, TN: Eric Chapman Foundation. Milstein, J. (2005). A paradigm of integrative care: Healing with couring throughout life, “being with” and “doing to”. Journal of Perinatology, 25, 563 – 568. doi: 10.1038/sj.jp7211358 O’Brien, M. E. (2011). Spirituality in nursing: Standing on holy ground (Fourth Edition ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning. The golden thread of compassionate care defined: The healing hospital. (2011). Retrieved May 11, 2011, from http://www.mercygilbert.org/Patients_And Visitors/189191 Watson, J. (n.d). Care for the journey: The caring moment. Retrieved from May 12, 2011, from http://www.companionarts.org/care2Jean.htm . Components of a Healing Hospital Essay.