Write a paper of 750-1,000 words examining your personal values and beliefs.

Include
the following:

 Describe your personal values and spiritual beliefs.

 Using the elements of cost, quality, and social issues to frame your description,
differentiate your beliefs and opinions about health care policy. Give examples of
relevant ethical principles, supported by your values.
 Analyze how factors such as your upbringing, spiritual or religious
beliefs/doctrine, personal and professional experiences, and political ideology
affect your current perspective on health care policy.
 Examine any inconsistencies you discovered relative to the alignment of your
personal values and beliefs with those concerning health policy. Discuss what
insights this has given you.

Human beings are born free and are entitled to their own beliefs. Beliefs are sometimes
measured on how ethical or moral they are and those measurements could vary based on
what perspectives they are viewed from. We all have different perspectives on how we
view certain social, religious, moral or political topics depending on our upbringing and
community we grew up. I, personally view myself with high spiritual beliefs and values,
in the meantime am very respectful of others values and beliefs too. Since this topic is
focusing on health care, I believe health care should be culturally and spiritually tailored
for patients of different backgrounds especially in the United States, where we have a
very diverse population with various backgrounds. As an RN, I have experienced that
how personal beliefs and values take a huge toll on how people of different cultural and
religious backgrounds make certain choices about their health. Living in the United
States, where diversity of religions and cultures is at its peak, tailoring laws and policies
to address and respect every religion and culture becomes very important as well as very
challenging. However, most of the time majority rules when it comes to creating and
implementing certain health related policies. For example abortion is one of the most
debated and sensitive aspects of health care, where people of certain religions and
cultures view abortion as a sin and an action against God’s will while on the other hand
people of less conservative cultures and religions tend to take abortion as a personal
choice and do not appreciate the government to make laws to rule their beliefs and
values.

Since I am coming from an Islamic background, I have more so conservative approach

when it comes to birth control and abortion. Islam’s approach to the issue of birth control
and abortion is balanced. Women are allowed to prevent pregnancy but in the meantime
they are forbidden to terminate it. According to the Koran, "And do not kill your children
for fear of poverty: We give them sustenance and yourselves (too): surely to kill them is a
great wrong." (Usmani, 17:31) With exceptions in case of rape the woman should use the
morning after pill or Plan B immediately after the sexual assault to prevent the possible
implantation of a fertilized ovum.
On the other hand, Sharia law also expands abortion validity to women whose doctors
declare that the woman’s life is endangered with continuation of the pregnancy. Again
this follows the principle of choosing lesser of the two evils which is also an Islamic
principle of al-ahamm wa 'l-muhimm (the more important and the less important). The
Prophet Mohammed PBUH also stated that when facing two forbidden things and you
will have to choose among them, then the greater will be sacrificed for the lesser.

Growing up, I was far more conservative when it came to sensitive topics that were
influenced by my religious beliefs, but learning about other religions and culture, I have
become more tolerant and respective of other religions. I believe that the complex
religious, political and ethical dimensions on the issue of abortion significantly affects
how people approach abortion. One of the most significant mistakes is when people can’t
draw a line between religious and political aspects of such issues. We live in a secular
environment where religious laws do not impact civil laws, but we must respect and
consider religious values when making health policies.

In 2013, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a bill that will allow providers such
as nurse practitioner, physician assistant, physician, and mid wife to perform abortion
during the first trimester upon parental consent. I think this law has certainly taken
religious beliefs and social values in consideration to protect human lives while on the
other hand give freedom of choice for people who wish to abort their children before they
turn into full human being or enter second trimester. My personal philosophy when
approaching this type of sensitive situation is to be a patient advocate, and help them
obtain emotional support while making such a tough decision. It is important for me to let
alone my personal biases and beliefs and respect patients values and beliefs on how she
will approach her pregnancy while simultaneously, provide a respectful healing
environment.

Abortion is viewed differently by certain social and religious groups. This topic has
always been intertwined with so many backlashes. Some consider it inhuman, unjust,
unethical, and then some consider a personal decision stating woman has full control over
her body and choices.

As health care profession, I see that for some people, their approach to the ethical
questions will be purely secular; for others, it will be heavily informed by religious
values and doctrines. There is nothing inherently wrong or superior to either approach.
What would be wrong, however, would be to imagine that religious values should be the
determining factor in these debates. However important religious values may be to
someone, they cannot become the basis for laws that apply to all citizens.

If people approach the debates openly and with a willingness to learn from others with
different perspectives, then it might be possible for everyone to have a positive impact on
others. This may allow the debate to move forward and for progress to be made. It may
not be possible for broad agreements to be reached, but it may be possible for reasonable
compromises to be achieved. First, though, we need to understand what the issues are.
 References

Ethics of abortion: Is it moral or immoral to have an abortion? (n.d.). About Religion.

Retrieved from

http://atheism.about.com/od/abortioncontraception/p/AbortionEthics.htm

Kliff, S. (2013). California just passed america’s first law expanding abortion access

since 2006. The Washington Post. Retrieved from

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/10/california-just-

passed-americas-first-law-expanding-abortion-access-since-2006/

Usmani. M. (2006), The noble quran, Maktaba Maariful Quran, Karachi.