Plastic Surgery: Q&A
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Is It Appropriate for my Doctor to Pray with Me?
My doctor offered to pray with me before my surgery. I was quite taken aback, as I do not pray regularly even though I'm a spiritual person. Honestly it made me slightly uncomfortable that my doctor feels like he needed to ask God to help him with the surgery. He is a board-certified doctor, and a really nice, normal guy, not some wacko. I'm wondering if this is common? Do other doctors offer to pray with their patients?
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14 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
Makenzie
in Seattle, WA
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Who is praying with whom?
Thank you for your very interesting question. In my opinion, it is okay for you and your doctor to pray together before surgery if you are the one that initiates it and asks for the prayer. If you did not ask for the prayer, then the surgeon may pray in private before the surgery if he wishes. You shouldn't feel obligated to be included in prayer if you didn't ask for it. Talk to your doctor and let him know your feelings about it. I have no problem with...
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Prayer and Surgery
Thank you for an engaging question. Your discomfort may have risen from the implied pressure of religious perspectives from another without congruence in the beliefs of the two participants.
Consider that surgery involves mental and spiritual aspects in the physical alteration of tissue structure. Is it not appropriate, then, to use prayer, meditation, or simply a moment of silence to focus these qualities to produce the desired optimal outcome?
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Praying before surgery
Wow what a great question. I am proud to pray with a patient, I consider it an honor and entirely appropriate. The only issue I see is if the surgeon and the patient do not share a common faith. As a patient, you may want to inquirewith the surgeons front office staff , see if you share a common faith. As a Christian, I consider it a delight to share a quiet, low key prayer just before a surgery. It is comforting to a patient seeking guidance and asking for surgeon wisdom.
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How common is Praying with your Surgeon Before Surgery
Being a New Yorker now practicing in Memphis, Tennessee I was taken aback when I first saw a surgeon and patient praying just before surgery in the holding area many years ago. Memphis considers itself the buckle of the Bible Belt and we seemingly have a church on nearly every block. All hospital meetings begin with a prayer and it is common to have a short prayer on the public speaker system in each our large hospitals.
Most of my colleagues are spiritual and some are very...
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Prayer and Surgery
Praying is not unusual prior to surgery. Some surgeons will pray in private while others will pray with the patient. If you are uncomfortable with the surgeon praying with you prior to surgery then just discuss that with him. I am sure that he would respect your wishes. Your decision obviously does not affect the surgeon's ability to pray privately prior to the operation.
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Is It Appropriate for my Doctor to Pray with Me?
I've always felt like any praying the surgeon does should be done in private, and before surgery. Might be a bad sign if it's done during surgery!!! I want to make my patients feel as comfortable as possible especially right before surgery and I would be afraid this may add to their already understandable anxiety...
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Praying before surgery
This is always a touchy subject. i would be surprised and kindly decline.. if you like your doctor, i would just consider that they are a person of strong religious feeling.. if you are not comfortable... find another physician
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Praying with patients
I have prayed with patients when asked, but it is not part of the normal routine. But it is not uncommon to have your doctor pray with you before surgery. If you are not comfortable, you can politely decline.
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Praying Before Surgery
Although I do not participate in any organized religion I have several friends who do and are surgeons and some of them offer to pray with the patient before surgery. If the patient for some reason is uncomfortable I am sure the doctor takes no offense when the patient declines. When I had surgery my surgeon offered that and I was happy to have any and all help making the surgery go well.
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Prayer before surgery
This is an extremely personal question. I would not make the suggestion to a patient but, were a patient to ask me to share in his or her own prayer to ease anxiety, I would respect their wishes and appreciate being asked to go on that journey with them.
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Prayer before surgery
I am a spiritual person and yet I would not personally suggest to a patient that we pray before surgery as this may not be comfortable for them and amy not fit into their belief system. I think it is a personal thing and unless requested by the patient I would not bring it into the relationship.
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Prayer
When asked, I always pray with patients. On occassion, I will offer it if I feel the person is quite anxious. I do not see anything wrong with asking God for His help. If one has that belief system, I would assume one would welcome His presence.
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Prayer prior to Surgery?
Thank you for the question.
No, it is not common that surgeons pray with their patients; on the other hand, I don't think it should alarm you too much. Assuming you have done your due diligence in the selection of your plastic surgeon, it is probable that he was using prayer to help alleviate anxiety ( as opposed to necessarily asking God for help).
Anxiety prior to surgery is quite common. Surgeons may use different modalities (for example humor)...
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Praying with a surgeon prior to surgery is not for everybody
Very interesting and unusual but great question. By the other responses here it appears that this practice does occur to some extent in certain areas of the country and in those areas this may be acceptable. Having been in practice almost 25 years, I have never been asked by a patient nor have asked a patient to pray with me prior to surgery. If I were a patient, I would be taken a back. If I were the patient, the only thing that I would want to pray for with my surgeon prior to surgery...
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