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What should a nurse do if an orthodox Jewish family has a stillborn baby?

a) Offer condolences and initiate a conversation about cultural and religious preferences for mourning rituals.
b) Immediately arrange for burial according to hospital protocol.
c) Avoid mentioning the stillbirth to respect the family's grief.
d) Suggest counseling services for the family.

User Parmanand
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

A nurse should offer condolences to an orthodox Jewish family with a stillborn baby and discuss their cultural and religious preferences for mourning. An understanding of Israeli cultural beliefs regarding personhood starting at birth is crucial. Arranging burial or recommending counseling should only come after understanding the family's wishes.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse faced with a situation where an orthodox Jewish family has a stillborn baby should offer condolences and initiate a conversation about the family's cultural and religious preferences for mourning rituals. In the context of the Israeli cultural model, attachment to the baby and personhood are generally established at birth, meaning a stillbirth can have particular religious and cultural implications that must be navigated with sensitivity.

It is important for the nurse to be knowledgeable about the family's background and not make assumptions; each family may have individual preferences within their cultural or religious context. Suggesting counseling services for the family may be appropriate, but should not be the immediate response, and should only be recommended once the family's wishes regarding mourning have been addressed. Coordinating with hospital chaplains or cultural liaisons may be beneficial in such circumstances.

Arranging for burial according to hospital protocol without consulting the family may not align with their religious practices, and avoiding the topic of the stillbirth is not advisable as it does not provide the support the family may need during this difficult time.

User Jostein Topland
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