Nurse 's Role As A Primary Member Of The Patient

The nurse must examine his or her own philosophies of spiritual, cultural and social beliefs and understand the way they shape and mold the method in which they deliver care. The purpose of identifying one’s own foundations is so that you may differentiate between that of your own and your patient’s beliefs in order to provide unbiased care (Leininger, 2002, p. 190).

Evidence has linked a strong relationship between spirituality and medicine. There is a positive correlation between a patient’s spirituality or religious commitment and health outcomes. A spiritual assessment as a part of a health assessment is a practical step to incorporating patient’s spiritual needs into practice. The FICA Tool and HOPE Questions provide serve to assist clinicians in the spiritual assessment process. By examining the research done using these tools, it has been determined that the FICA Tool is easy to use and provides basic data on a patient’s spirituality. The FICA tool is both reliable and valid. The HOPE Questions are

In providing basic health care in hospitals, medical practitioners should not only focus on giving physical treatment to patients but also provide spiritual and psychological assessment and management for them. This practice as suggested by many studies (see Chapman, 2003; Eberst, n.d.,) can help the hospitals develop a new method of healing that is more holistic in approach. The Joint Commission (2005) recommends spiritual assessment program which can help the medical officers to know the needs of the patients aside from the usual physical treatment. It will help them

The second factor is faith-hope that translates to being authentically present, and enabling the beliefs of the patient being cared for and the professional who is providing patient care. The third factor is sensitivity to self and other, this becomes cultivations of one’s own spiritual practices, going beyond self, and opening to others with compassion and kindness. The fourth factor is helping, trusting, human care relationship that evolves to developing and maintaining a trusting, authentic, and caring relationship. The fifth factor is expressing positive and negative feeling. The translation of this factor is being supportive when positive and negative feelings with a connection of a higher spirit. The sixth factor is creative problem-solving caring process. This factor requires scientific problem-solving for decision-making and creative use of self. The seventh factor is transpersonal teaching-learning. When using the seventh factor the nurse engages in sincere teaching learning experience. The eighth factor is supportive, protective, and corrective mental, physical, social, and spiritual environment. The environment created allows healing to occur at different levels. The ninth factor is human needs assistance. The patient receives assistance with basic needs with special attention to the mind, body, and soul. The tenth factor is existential phenomenological spiritual

The following essay will discuss the results of an interview conducted regarding the spiritual values of a patient. The essay will include: what went well and what can be improved for future interviews. Finally, how the interview helped the writer better understand her patient’s spiritual needs will be addressed.

The spirituality in a healing hospital starts with the Chief Executive Officer and spirals downward toward management, and then the frontline employees. Healing hospitals must have a form of culture that serves the community. This includes the building, its contents, the CEO, the managers, and caregivers. This is what leads to the care that entails the spiritual mixture that takes into account a person’s whole body, which includes the mind and spirit.

For health care providers to deliver the best holistic care that patients deserve, a thorough spiritual assessment must be included during their care. With more research showing a relationship between supporting a patient’s spirituality with their health and ability to cope with illness, it is now a requirement of organizations to include a spiritual assessment to maintain accreditation with The Joint Commission. The minimum required of a spiritual assessment by The Joint Commission is to determine the patient’s religion and

As I begin my career as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), I will have to decide what philosophies I will incorporate into my practice. I believe that holistic care is an effective way to manage the care of a patient. It will also help me learn more about my patients. This concept looks beyond a person’s physical disease, and it includes all aspects of their health and well-being. It requires a provider to consider the patient’s spiritual beliefs, mental needs, emotional status, and environmental influences. I believe that spiritual healing is a major component of physical healing. By incorporating holistic care into my practice, I believe I will provide the patient with the best care available. According to Joel (2013), APRNs that

According to Wu, Tseng, & Liao (2016), spiritual care is a critical part of holistic care. In addition, in their study special material should be provided for preparation in spiritual care for nurses in order to give comprehensive care. Except the awareness of cultural and ethnic differences, the awareness of spiritual competencies is also vital.

Spirituality is a delicate topic, and some may not be open to talking about their beliefs. Spirituality is generally understood to be an essential aspect of being human (Lyndo-Lam, 2012). Assessing the spiritual needs of patients is a key component in the nursing process. A compassionate and thoughtful nurse can make a patient feel more secure, making it easier for him to express his spirituality. The participation of both patient and health care provider is vital in promoting spiritual health. The main focus of a spiritual assessment is to gather information regarding the patient’s spiritual needs in order incorporate them into the plan of care, so as to treat

Spirituality is considered one of the components of health and wellness, and is a contributory factor in the delivery of holistic care (O’Shea, Wallace, Griffin, & Fitzpatrick, 2011). It only makes sense for us nurses to study and research spirituality since the nursing profession is committed to holistic development, which includes the spiritual dimension of life. However, elements such as time constraints, short staffing, insufficient formal education related to spiritual assessment and confusion between spirituality and religion have led to spirituality becoming a disregarded component of care (O’Shea et al., 2011). Adolescence is a crucial time in the development of a person’s spiritual path (Benson & Roehlkepartain, 2008). Findings showed that most adolescents hold spiritual or religious beliefs already and choose to draw on them when experiencing life-changing events. Despite this information, healthcare professionals overlook the spiritual needs of adolescents (Neuman, 2011).

Once these characteristics have been outlined and briefly discussed, emphasis will be placed upon one specific health improvement issue.

Nurses that listen to their patients, not only notice that they are physically hurt, but they can also notice their emotional wounds. The empathy of knowing that the patient is emotionally hurt is part of the spirituality connection. Therefore, they might need comfort. O’Brien (2001) states that, “ No other profession provides the opportunity to touch and be touched by the human spirit as does the practice of nursing. It is this intimacy that calls us to reverence: reverence for God as our creator and Lord…” (pg.110). Nurses have the privilege to connect with people in ways that no other profession may be able to provide. Since nurses are patients advocate, our duty is to connect them with their spiritual beliefs and

Urgency of acute care varies depending on the situation but can range to anything from emergency surgeries, to injuries, chronic illnesses, and also for the recovery of those procedures. Majority of the patients in acute care settings are critically ill. Nursing responsibilities in acute care settings are vital to patient’s recovery due to the front line position nurses play as well as the wide variety of tasks carried out. Assessments are made during every encounter the nurse has with the patient along with monitoring the patient’s progress. Nurses are responsible for recognizing symptoms the patient may be experiencing due to illness or injury and whether they fall in the spectrum of normal reactions. Vital signs are measured routinely and can be indicators of the patient’s current status. When vitals are questioned diagnostic tests can be arranged to further assess possible comorbidities the patient may have. Care plans are made to plan interventions the health care team can take to help patients through challenges they face, both physical and mental. Nurses administer medications as well as first aid as needed. They are responsible for maintaining special equipment patients may require including monitors and ventilators are well.

Spirituality is a very sensitive topic in any area of the world and when discussing it with a patient is such a vulnerable situation, it becomes even more delicate. It is a topic which can affect the outlook of the patient and how they will get through their condition. A spirituality assessment is important because spirituality is such a powerful thing which can help a person turn a terrible situation into something more bearable. It is vital for nurses to use this tool to help them because it goes beyond medications and intubation trays, it focuses on them as a person. A spirituality assessment is a tool which will help patients on critical care units get through there vulnerable moment in life.