Consequences of Spiritual Care for Cancer Patients and Oncology Nurses: a Qualitative Study

Abstract

Objective: The nature of cancer increases the spiritual needs of patients and necessitates the provision of holistic care for them. By trying to meet the spiritual needs of patients, oncology nurses can help them adapt, gain inner peace, and develop positive thoughts and attitudes. This study aimed to explore the consequences of spiritual care for cancer patients and oncology nurses from the perspective of the patients, family members, nurses, and other health-care team members. Methods: The present qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis in 2016–2017. The data were collected through semi-structured deep interviews of the 18 participants. Results: The theme extracted from the data was “spiritual growth” and comprised the major categories of “nurse's spiritual development” and “patient's spiritual development.” There were three subcategories in the nurse's spiritual development and 11 subcategories in the patient's spiritual development. Conclusions: Spiritual care places the cancer patient and the oncology nurse on the path to spiritual growth. The achievement of peace by the patient and the nurse was a common consequence of spiritual care. It helps the nurse promote comfort and a sense of peace in the patient and eventually to obtain inner satisfaction. Considering the transcendental effects of spiritual care, a systematic plan should be devised to enhance sensitivity in oncology nurses and encourage them to make spiritual care a component of interventional plans.

A Influência da Espiritualidade e da Religiosidade na Aceitação da Doença e no Tratamento de Pacientes Oncológicos: Revisão Integrativa da Literatura

“…Outro estudo relaciona a religiosidade e a espiritualidade aos profissionais de saúde. O cuidado espiritual de pacientes com câncer coloca o doente e até a enfermeira oncológica no caminho para o desenvolvimento espiritual, que ajuda na promoção do conforto, da sensação de paz e da satisfação interior, que auxiliam no tratamento da doença 43 . Esse processo de cuidado deve ser planejado para fornecer necessidades e práticas espirituais entre os cuidadores e os familiares de pacientes com câncer 44 .…”

Letter To The Editor

“…Further attention to these domains enables a spiritually nurturing environment, meaning-centred therapeutic interventions, patient-centeredness, an exploration of the spiritual perspective, spiritual aspects of nurses' reasoning and processes, and the quality of expertise (van Leeuwen & Cusveller 2004; Ramezani et al 2014). In this regard, the authors of this article also found that empathy and genuine attention to patients' needs, adequate information and therapeutic presence are foundational to developing compassionate relationships (Rochmawati & Minanton 2020).Patients with cancer expect nurses to attend to their spiritual needs which allows them to achieve a sense of peace, comfort and inner satisfaction (Moosavi et al 2019). The authors also found that nurse-patient-relative communication in cancer care often includes addressing spirituality and…”

“…Patients with cancer expect nurses to attend to their spiritual needs which allows them to achieve a sense of peace, comfort and inner satisfaction (Moosavi et al 2019). The authors also found that nurse-patient-relative communication in cancer care often includes addressing spirituality and…”

Fostering spirituality and psychosocial health through mind-body practices in underserved populations

“…21 Incorporating spirituality is one strategy to culturally tailor interventions for faith-based communities and has been effective for health behavior change in underserved populations. 16 Spirituality is defined by some researchers as “the way a person searches for meaning and purpose in life, as well as the relationship between himself and others, nature, and the sacred,” 22 or can more simply refer to feelings of peace, meaning, and purpose in life. Culturally-tailored, spiritualty-based interventions have shown promising results for improving mental health outcomes, such as stress, depression, and anxiety.…”