Considerations:

Use images that portray religious & spiritual beliefs in a non-judgmental and respectful way.

Recognize that even within a specific religion, individuals may have a wide range of differing beliefs and practices.

Cautions:

Avoid images that stereotype or mock religious or spiritual beliefs or institutions.

For example: a religious figure made into a comical reference.

Avoid using phrases that have overt religious connotations. For example: “That’s not kosher”, “sacred cow” or “come to Jesus moment.”

Considerations:

Use nonjudgmental language when presenting a patient's religious or spiritual beliefs.

For example: Patient has strong-held religious beliefs regarding the use of birth control and requested alternative treatment options. This impacted care by....

Cautions:

Avoid using judgmental language when presenting a patient's religious or spiritual beliefs.

For example: Because patient is a staunch Catholic, they refused to consider birth control as a treatment option.

Considerations:

Use neutral greetings or be inclusive of all religious beliefs when using greetings. With more than 20 holidays occurring between November and January, “Happy Holidays” is an inclusive greeting you can use during this timeframe.

If greeting an individual whose beliefs are unknown, it is best to default to a neutral generic greeting. If greeting a group and wanting to acknowledge a specific holiday, for example Hanukkah, say “Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate and welcome to all.”

Cautions:

Do not assume stereotypes or risk factors based on religious or spiritual beliefs.

For example: Don't assume that because a patient is Muslim, they do not consume alcohol.