Mapping the Processes and Qualities of Spiritual Nursing Care

Abstract

Although the importance of spiritual care is widely recognized in nursing theory, recent research suggests that it is rarely attended to in nursing practice. One explanation for this contradiction is the conceptual confusion that exists regarding the meaning of spiritual nursing care. To help unravel this confusion, in-depth open-ended interviews were conducted in an oncology care setting with 29 individuals representing the multiple perspectives of nurses, patients, family, and others. Phenomenological analysis of these interviews reveals that spiritual nursing care involves a complexity of social processes, of which developing caring relationships is core. For these social processes to work and for spiritual nursing care to be realized, the nurse must embody four essential human qualities: receptivity, humanity, competency, and positivity. Participants' descriptions of these processes and qualities not only offer clarity and understanding but also capture the diffuse and amorphous nature of spiritual nursing care.

Spiritual care in nursing: a concept analysis

“…). The characteristics of this relationship are as follows: ‘creation and promotion of confidence in relationship’ (Tanyi ); ‘establishment of professional boundaries in relationship’ (Puchalski & Ferrell ); ‘transference of healing energy form nurse to patient’ (Carr ); ‘honesty in relationship’, ‘use of useful communication skills’; ‘establishment of eye contact’ (McSherry ); ‘attention to the power of speech in the promotion of healing’ (Carson & Koenig ); and ‘showing sensitivity to patients’ non‐verbal signals’ (Rieg et al. ).…”

“…Moreover, nurse's professional commitment (Carson & Koenig ), professional responsibility and accountability (Chan et al. ), professional competency (Carr ), accurate sensory perception (Clark et al. ; Ross ) and ability to understand and accept others’ feelings and behaviours are among the essential prerequisites for the fulfilment of patients’ spiritual needs.…”

“…A nurse's religious affiliation, religious insight and self-improvement (Lundmark 2006) facilitate the identification of patients' spiritual needs and also the provision of spiritual care. Moreover, nurse's professional commitment (Carson & Koenig 2008), professional responsibility and accountability (Chan et al 2006), professional competency (Carr 2008), accurate sensory perception (Clark et al 2003;Ross 2006) and ability to understand and accept others' feelings and behaviours are among the essential prerequisites for the fulfilment of patients' spiritual needs. Barnum (2006) and Carpenter et al (2008) believed that nurses' intentionality is a kind of focused consciousness that leads to the identification of patients' patterns and cues and the enhancement of nursing assessment.…”

Nursing students' spiritual talks with patients – evaluation of a partnership learning programme in clinical practice

“…, Como , Koenig ). Carr () suggested that spiritual care is about developing caring relationships that promote spiritual well‐being. According to Narayanasamy (), nurses can collect data about the patient's spiritual well‐being by assessing areas such as the patient's source of strength and hope, sense of meaning and purpose, self‐esteem, anxiety and anger.…”

Facing Existential Realities: Exploring Barriers and Challenges to Spiritual Nursing Care

“…It has been described as a whole and natural experience, which is often unplanned and sometimes even unrecognized by either the nurse or the person being cared for (Carr, 2008;Carroll, 2001). Critical to spiritual care is that the carer approach his or her work with receptivity.…”