ABASTRACT Spirituality has been in and out of healthcare and has proven effective every time that it is used. Implementing spirituality into healthcare allows for faster recovery times, better interpersonal relationships with their healthcare providers, and a more holistic approach to healthcare. Several approaches to analyzing it have proven it to be effective but is often not taught when educating future nurses. Through the barriers and the controversy spirituality remains as an important aspect of a patient’s recovery process. Keywords: spirituality, nursing, healthcare, nurses Spirituality in Healthcare Richard Savel, MD, and Cindy Munro, RN, PHD, ANP, (2014) said it best when they said, “Spirituality can also be defined as the …show more content…
As the Crimean war came around, Nightingale gathered a group of the few skilled nurses she could find and was determined to provide secular care though the British society was rooted in religion and was deep in religious conflict at that time (Meehan, 2012). Often spirituality would take a backseat to academics and professionalism when it came to training nurses (Meehan, 2012). Since that shift in priorities, spirituality is still often taking the backseat to everything else when it comes to training and patient care. After looking at how spirituality effects health care and the need for it, many places are implementing it back into their assessments while others are struggling to see the benefits. Healthcare Providers Role and Spiritual Needs When looking at the concept of spirituality many may see this as obsolete when it comes to nursing care, but it helps to incorporate a more holistic approach to nursing care. Richard Savel, MD, and Cindy Munro, RN, PhD, ANP, stated in the American Journal of Critical Care (2014), “As nurses and doctors we ought to take a few moments to ponder the spiritual aspects of any patient interaction; doing so empowers all parties involved and has the potential to promote serenity, tranquility, understanding, and a sense of completeness.” Spirituality has helped patients to find purpose and fulfillment which aids in uncovering inner strengths and reserves that ultimately improve their overall health (Younas,
The Bravewell Collaborative. (2015). Spirituality and Religion in Health Care. Retrieved from www.bravewell.org/integrative_medicine/philosophical_foundation/spirituality_and_healthcare/ Curry, K. (n.d.). A Biblical Worldview of Health Care. Retrieved from http://www.hcic.org.au/sites/default/files/imce/Biblical%20Worldview.pdf Mcskimming, S., & Puchalski, C. M. (2006, May).
I have spent the majority of my career in the ED and have recently transitioned into a management role so it has been years since I performed a spiritual assessment. However, while working on the inpatient unit, I can recall performing spiritual assessments as a part of the admission assessment. Far less detailed that the FICA spiritual assessment, the basic assessment included the patient’s religious preference, religious commitment scoring, and desire for a Chaplain during their hospital stay. Spiritual assessments relay the individual’s spiritual life history, allowing practitioners to gain multidimensional insight into family dynamics and spiritual framework (Hodge, 2001).
One of the most difficult yet, pivotal times in a person 's’ life is when they are reaching the end of their life’s journey. A common coping mechanism utilized in the current hospice care system is spiritual care. However, when patients and their families hear the word “spirituality” they often think this type of care focuses exclusively on religious affiliations. While a person’s religious views greatly influence one’s spirituality, many researchers agree a person’s spirituality can take on a variety forms and meanings. For example, some people view their spirituality in a religious form, while others view their spirituality in a more general and non-religious form, which can make a hospice social worker, or chaplain’s job challenging at times. Because the current elderly society is rapidly growing in numbers, it is critical that further research is concentrated on the training and social work curriculum of spiritual care, so hospice social workers can become more culturally and spiritually competent, and ultimately possess the proper skills to adequately offer spiritual assistance as an option to ease the death, dying and grieving process for patients and their families.
Spirituality in recovery incorporates spirituality in the recovery process as motivation when gradating through different stages of being sober, enjoying their new way of life without Alcohol. Empowering mental and Intellectual growth, financial, living conditions, emotional well-being, spiritual peace, physical health, happier social relationships, and functioning. Since addicts reaches low point during transitioning period may risk their sobriety if they’re not motivated to sustain from relapsing in recovery. The different treatment pans rather it’s in patient or out-patient treatment continues to be modified in order for the individual to complete and set further goals even after their program ends. By having access to creative structures
“Spirituality and religion has been identified as an essential component in care for those who are seriously ill and/or dying.” Social workers need to be able to respond appropriately to the needs of all service to users who depends on their spirituality to live day by day. Culturally competent practice depends on an understanding and appreciation of the impact of faith and belief. Social workers need to be open to various religious, spiritual and non-spiritual or secular individual views. Some people seek help from their spiritual healer instead of going to see a doctor. “Many medical and social care professionals feel uncomfortable discussing religious and spiritual beliefs with patients, and therefore do not address this critical component
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
How do your spiritual beliefs apply to your health? The most successful nurses can demonstrate a cultural awareness of self first which then carriers over into a keener cultural awareness of others. This understanding helps a nurse since over the past several decades most health organizations have been encouraged to become more culturally aware of the populations they serve and required to conform to national standards implemented by organizations such as The Joint Commission, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services organizations (Potter, Perry, & Stockert, 2016). Cultural self-awareness is a key to help all nurses provide the standard of cultural competent care set forth by the above listed national organizations.
Spiritual assessment and care of a patient at each medical or psychiatric appointment is an essential aspect of providing adequate care by all NPs. To be able to do so, NP must understand that spirituality and religiosity are not synonymous. Unlike the concept of religion, which defined by the online Oxford dictionary (2017) as “The belief in a worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods,” spirituality holds various definitions depending on whom you ask. According to Taylor (2002; who credits Reed [1992]) “…spirituality refers to that part of being human that seeks meaningfulness through intra-, inter-, and transpersonal connection (p. 10). Therefore, rapport with each
All throughout history nursing and medicine was based on the roots of Christianity. Many healthcare providers based their practices from the bible “I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me” (Matthew 25:36, NIV). Furthermore, spirituality is an important aspect to remain in our nursing practice. In order to provide holistic care for our patients during their healing process, which includes body, soul, and spirit, Christianity should continue to be practiced with our patients. The purpose of this paper is to discuss my personal worldview based upon the meaning of spiritualty, worldviews, prime reality, human person, the meaning of death, epistemology, ethics, and the meaning of human
Dr. Montgomery and I made rounds on the cardiovascular unit, and I was able to observe him interact with several patients of different faith background. He offered prayer to some, however, one declined prayer, and most requested prayer. Dr. Montgomery allowed me to pray with him and the patient. He also washed his hands between each patient.
Spiritual care can significantly improve the physical and mental health of nursing home residents. Elderly people are going through a period of life that is set apart by the loss of ability, wellbeing, freedom, and companions. Religious and spiritual individuals regularly utilize their faith and beliefs to adapt to these losses, thus it is critical to keep on providing religious services for seniors who need them. Unfortunately after admitting to the nursing homes, the spiritual and religious needs of residents are often overlooked. (BRIA Health Services, 2016). The Joint Commission- a non-profit organization evaluating the healthcare organizations for quality states, "Patients have a fundamental right to considerate care that safeguards their personal dignity and respects their cultural, psychosocial, and spiritual values" (JCAHO, 2009). Tending to the emotional and spiritual needs of patients, is considered to be a priority quality improvement in healthcare. A nursing home chaplain can meet the religious and spiritual needs of residents, residents’ families, administration, and employees. The purpose of this paper is to provide an executive summary of a project that is creating a position of nursing chaplain, to the Board for approval of funding of the project.
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).
Spirituality and religion hold different values and truths depending on your personal beliefs. Being religious is a belief or practice that contains certain values one should follow. When looking deeper into religion you can find spirituality which is the part of religion that effects our spirit and soul, it is not tangible. “The Sacred within” is spirituality and pertains to God dwelling inside of our heart and soul. When looking at “the sacred within” there are certain senses that we can tap into so, we may obtain that sort of spirituality. Through solitude, silence, imagination, and nature, we can have a better sense of spirituality.
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
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