<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>I write this article as a postgraduate researcher undertaking a doctorate in Education, with an interest in research as a transformative process, and fascinated by the debate as to whether reality is objective or subjective. In reflecting on this, I recalled a significant incident that occurred when I was Professional Education Lead in an NHS hospital. I had been asked to work with a nurse, who had been disciplined as a consequence of talking about her Christian faith with a patient. The nurse was assuming that, in sharing experiences that were transformative for her, she might also transform the patient’s perception of her own illness and its meaning. As a Christian myself, I was caught in a situation where I could understand the conflicting perspectives of all key players, including the patient, her family, the nurse, and the NHS managers. I explore how I mediated my way through this situation, aiming to do justice to all perspectives, and the ethical dilemmas I faced when having to choose between personal and professional values. As a consequence of this incident, I have learned that, not only is transformation a deeply personal experience, but because it is either influenced by, or leads to, a specific world view, it supports the idea of reality being subjective rather than objective.</p>
</abstract>

I write this article as a postgraduate researcher undertaking a doctorate in Education, with an interest in research as a transformative process, and fascinated by the debate as to whether reality is objective or subjective. In reflecting on this, I recalled a significant incident that occurred when I was Professional Education Lead in an NHS hospital. I had been asked to work with a nurse, who had been disciplined as a consequence of talking about her Christian faith with a patient. The nurse was assuming that, in sharing experiences that were transformative for her, she might also transform the patient’s perception of her own illness and its meaning. As a Christian myself, I was caught in a situation where I could understand the conflicting perspectives of all key players, including the patient, her family, the nurse, and the NHS managers. I explore how I mediated my way through this situation, aiming to do justice to all perspectives, and the ethical dilemmas I faced when having to choose between personal and professional values. As a consequence of this incident, I have learned that, not only is transformation a deeply personal experience, but because it is either influenced by, or leads to, a specific world view, it supports the idea of reality being subjective rather than objective.

Ethical dilemmas in sharing transformative experiences with patients in a clinical setting: A Reflective Account

International Journal for Transformative Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

I write this article as a postgraduate researcher undertaking a doctorate in Education, with an interest in research as a transformative process, and...

Ethical dilemmas in sharing transformative experiences with patients in a clinical setting: A Reflective Account

Published Online: Dec 30, 2021

Page range: 1 - 9

Received: Sep 30, 2021

Accepted: Nov 02, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ijtr-2021-0001

Keywords
nursing, prayer, transformative, ethical, dilemma

© 2021 Marion Khan, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Ethical dilemmas in sharing transformative experiences with patients in a clinical setting: A Reflective Account

Published Online: Dec 30, 2021

Page range: 1 - 9

Received: Sep 30, 2021

Accepted: Nov 02, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ijtr-2021-0001

Keywordsnursing, prayer, transformative, ethical, dilemma

© 2021 Marion Khan, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
nursing, prayer, transformative, ethical, dilemma