Healing Hospital: A Daring Paradigm
Grand Canyon University: HLT 301
July 24, 2016
The medical field is constantly evolving. Healthcare professionals must look to find more efficient and effective ways to care for patients. As things change, there is a paradigm shift that transpires in the process. Changing how hospitals are viewed can make a huge difference in a patient’s recovery. A Healing hospital or community speaks to the spiritual aspect of where one comes to get whole. According to Webster-Merriam a community is defined as “a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society”. Within communities there is a greater sense of pride and ownership that the community members have. Within the boundaries of a healing community, both patients and staff alike can see that they are well-supported in the healing process all working towards a common goal. The paradigm of the Healing Hospital comes with several challenges and yet it is a very reasonable and realistic concept.
According to Chapman, a healing hospital is built upon the foundation that love is at the center of healing and when love’s entry is blocked, the ability for the location to be transformed into a healing space is also blocked and it cannot exist. (2012). God tells us that we must love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Mark 12:31). Having a strong support system of love available for a patient and their caregivers is paramount to a patient’s ability to heal and this is the main principle of the healing hospital.
Golden Thread of Compassionate Care Defined states, that there are 3 main components of healing hospitals, a healing physical environment, the integration of work design and technology, and a culture of radical loving care. Having a healing physical environment that concentrates not just on how patients are treated and cared for but also focuses on all attitudes and interactions including between staff and...