Jehovah's Witness

Before researching this culture, I expected to learn about the religious beliefs they have, any cultural traditions, and other aspects I didn't previously know about.

I focused a little bit on the issue of blood transfusions. This is an issue I knew about, but have always wondered if there's something more we could do for these people. I researched and found information regarding a fairly newer treatment for Jehovah's Witness patients to receive a recombinant clotting factor to reduce bleeding. I've never heard of this treatment before, so I was interested to read about it. It opens some more doors into treatments, and allows these patients to receive treatment without compromising their belief. I also learned that in matters of urgency, it is not entirely frowned upon for a Jehovah's Witness patient to receive blood products. I don't know exactly where the line is drawn there, or if it is likely to cause personal religious turmoil, but it's interesting, and allows doctors and nurses to implement life saving procedures in times of emergency.

I will use this information to encourage the use of different treatments in Jehovah's Witness patients. I don't often have patients that refuse certain treatments, but in the case of receiving blood products, I would like to have the option to offer something else in place. Having the option to administer recombinant clotting factors may not resolve the specific issue at hand, but it's an option. This research may open the door to more research, and more options in the future.

I don't understand all of the aspects of the Jehovah's Witness culture, but I can respect their beliefs, and try my best to be sensitive to them. I don't have any particularly negative or positive feelings toward the culture itself. I also, haven't encountered many Jehovah's Witnesses in my life to draw any conclusions about them either.