| Course | MED 475 Palliative Care Managing Complex Serious Illness |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 6 |
| Paper type | Case study analysis |
| Length | About 414 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | BS in Medical Studies |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for MED 475 Module 6
"Why Has God Left Me?" A Case Study in Spiritual and Behavioral Health Care
Student Name
BS in Medical Studies, Arizona State University
MED 475: Palliative Care: Managing Complex Serious Illness
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
"Why Has God Left Me?" A Case Study in Spiritual and Behavioral Health Care
The Case (Illustrative)
Mr. James Okafor, 62, is a retired bus driver with metastatic pancreatic cancer receiving home-based palliative care. His pain is controlled, but his wife reports that he sleeps most of the day, has stopped attending church and says, "Why has God left me?" He was a deacon for 20 years. He denies wanting to die sooner but says he feels "empty."
Taking a Spiritual History
The FICA tool offers a brief structure for a spiritual history: Faith and belief, Importance, Community and Address in care (Puchalski & Romer, 2000). Applied here:
| FICA element | Mr. Okafor |
|---|---|
| Faith and belief | Lifelong Christian faith; deacon |
| Importance | Central to his identity; now feels absent |
| Community | Church community he has stopped seeing |
| Address in care | Wants to talk with "someone who understands faith" |
Spiritual Distress or Depression?
Mr. Okafor's sleepiness, withdrawal and emptiness could reflect depression, spiritual distress or both, and physical causes such as fatigue from cancer must also be considered. Spiritual distress centers on loss of meaning, connection or faith; depression includes persistent low mood, loss of interest and hopelessness across areas of life. A behavioral health clinician should screen for depression and ask directly about thoughts of death, while the chaplain explores his sense of abandonment. The two assessments complement each other.
Care Plan
1. Chaplain visit within the week to explore his experience of abandonment, with his permission to contact his pastor.
2. Behavioral health assessment for depression, with brief supportive therapy if indicated and medication options discussed with his physician.
3. Reconnect with his church community through home visits or a recorded service, if he wishes.
4. Review fatigue causes with the medical team.
5. Support his wife, who may be grieving in anticipation.
Communication guidance for serious illness emphasizes responding to emotion before information (Back et al., 2005), so team members should begin by acknowledging how painful it is to feel abandoned.
Why This Matters
Spiritual concerns are part of total suffering in serious illness, and integrated palliative care has improved quality of life and mood in people with advanced cancer (Temel et al., 2010). Leaving them unaddressed can deepen distress, while integrated spiritual and behavioral health care treats the whole person.
Conclusion
Mr. Okafor's case shows how spiritual history-taking and behavioral health assessment work together. Separating and addressing spiritual distress and possible depression gives him the best chance at peace in the time he has.
References
Back, A. L., Arnold, R. M., Baile, W. F., Tulsky, J. A., & Fryer-Edwards, K. (2005). Approaching difficult communication tasks in oncology. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 55(3), 164-177. https://doi.org/10.3322/canjclin.55.3.164
Puchalski, C., & Romer, A. L. (2000). Taking a spiritual history allows clinicians to understand patients more fully. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 3(1), 129-137. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2000.3.129
Temel, J. S., Greer, J. A., Muzikansky, A., Gallagher, E. R., Admane, S., Jackson, V. A., Dahlin, C. M., Blinderman, C. D., Jacobsen, J., Pirl, W. F., Billings, J. A., & Lynch, T. J. (2010). Early palliative care for patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer. New England Journal of Medicine, 363(8), 733-742. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1000678
Reading the MED 475 Module 6 assignment instructions
The second MED 475 case study, worth 20 points, belongs to Module 6, which addresses spiritual care and the role of behavioral health in palliative care. The case and its questions are released in Canvas. Apply the module's readings to the patient: consider how to assess spiritual needs, how to distinguish spiritual distress from depression or other conditions and which team members should be involved. Give each case question its own heading and a direct answer, support your analysis with course readings and research and keep the patient's own words and values at the center of your plan. Use respectful, inclusive language about faith, and do not assume the patient's beliefs beyond what the case states.
How the MED 475 Module 6 example is put together
The sample introduces an illustrative patient in a short paragraph, then applies a named spiritual history tool in a table using details from the case. A section distinguishes spiritual distress from depression and assigns each assessment to the right professional. The care plan lists five numbered actions, including support for the spouse. The analysis cites the tool's original article and communication guidance. Margin notes explain how the filled-in table supports the plan, and the conclusion ties spiritual and behavioral care together. The plan assigns each concern to the right professional, which mirrors how interdisciplinary palliative teams work. The patient's own question frames the paper from the title onward, keeping attention on his experience.
Reading the MED 475 Module 6 grading rubric
For this case study, graders look for an accurate use of spiritual assessment concepts, a careful distinction between spiritual distress and mental health conditions, appropriate roles for chaplains and behavioral health clinicians and a practical plan grounded in the case. Papers lose points when they impose a religious view, when they label distress as depression without assessment or when the plan ignores the family. Respectful language about faith, and sources from the module, strengthen the analysis. Analyses that invite the patient to define what would bring comfort, rather than prescribing it, reflect best practice in spiritual care. Including the spouse in the plan shows family-centered care. Accurate sources help.
MED 475 Module 6 help: mistakes that cost marks
Read the case for clues about faith, meaning and mood. Use a structured tool, such as FICA, to organize the spiritual history. Separate what belongs to the chaplain from what belongs to behavioral health. Ask whether physical symptoms might explain some changes. Include the family in the plan. Use the patient's words where possible. If distinguishing distress from depression feels unclear, the desk can review the criteria with you. Keep a respectful tone. Practice asking the FICA questions aloud so they sound natural. Note any physical symptom that could mimic depression and say how the team would check it. Name the chaplain's and the behavioral health clinician's roles clearly.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
More MED 475 and BS in Medical Studies sample papers
- MED 475 Module 3: Communicating an Advance Directive: A Script for Talking With a Patient Who Has Dementia
- MED 475 Module 4: Case Study: Family Conflict Over Care for a Seriously Ill Parent
- MED 475 Module 5: International Palliative Care Presentation: Kerala's Neighborhood Network
- MED 475 Module 7: Case Study: Palliative Care or Hospice? Deciding What Fits a Patient Now
- MED 320 Module 2: Part 2: Ethical Analysis Outline
- MED 300 Module 5: Module 5 Reflection: Humanistic Health Care and Ethics
MED 475 Module 6 questions, answered
Where can I find a free MED 475 Module 6 sample paper?
The full spiritual care and behavioral health case study is on this page.
What is the FICA tool?
A spiritual history structure covering Faith, Importance, Community and Address in care.
How is spiritual distress different from depression?
Spiritual distress centers on loss of meaning or faith; depression involves persistent low mood and loss of interest.
Who addresses spiritual distress in palliative care?
Chaplains, with support from the whole team and behavioral health when needed.
What does MED 475 Module 6 cover?
Spiritual care and the role of behavioral health.