The Jehowah´s witnesses religious society in the context of current nursing

Abstract This thesis focuses on the issue of transcultural nursing of the members of Jehovah's Witnesses Christian denomination. Nursing staff faces the rejection of certain medical treatments and problems in communication, respect, and mutual understanding. The theoretical part of the thesis provides a detailed description and analysis of the denomination, providing the details of its foundation, present state, and the influence of its teaching on their members. It reveals the lives and ways of the thinking of Jehovah's Witnesses. Ultimately, this knowledge is highly desirable for understanding their views, feelings and attitudes. It is essential that nursing staff have this knowledge and are able to use it effectively.The designated objectives of the thesis are to analyse the Jehovah's Witnesses Christian denomination in the context of present nursing, to describe the specific features of nursing with respect to patients who are members of the Jehovah's Witnesses Christian denomination, and to analyse potential problems and risks related to nursing members of the Jehovah's Witnesses Christian denomination. To reach the above objectives we have used qualitative research methods. We conducted interviews with 17 persons living in the Czech Republic and in Germany who work in health services. An interview with a former Jehovah's Witness is included in the annex.From our research it follows that there are conflicts of opinion, misunderstandings, disagreements, and negative emotions of the medical staff based on their experience. An important factor is the ward type. Our research has indicated there are more conflicts in highly-specialised wards compared to standard outpatient departments. The study results have indicated that it is necessary to include transcultural nursing generally into secondary nursing educatio