PHI 413 What is your definition of spiritual care?

According to Timmins & Caldeira (2017), NANDA International, formerly known as North American Nursing Diagnosis Association, describes the definition of spiritual distress as “a state of suffering related to the impaired ability to experience meaning in life through connections of with self, others, the world, or a superior being” (p. 48, as cited in Herdman & Kamitsuru, 2014). My personal definition of spiritual care is providing care for patients to help them regain their centeredness in their uniqueness of being, meaning, purpose, belonging, and love. Spiritual care is achieved by attending to and restoring a patient’s inner spirit and soul through their “emotions, thoughts, feelings, desires, and will” (Evans, 2020, para. 4). According to my definition of spiritual care, I believe it is in accord with Christian spiritual care by fostering relationships that nurture the spirit, offering a compassionate presence, and assisting in the effort to find meaning in the face of suffering, illness, and death.

References

Evans, K. A. (2020). Intervention, ethical decision-making, and spiritual care. In Practicing dignity: An introduction to Christian values and decision making in health care. Grand Canyon University. https://lc.gcumedia.com/phi413v/practicing-dignity-an-introduction-to-christian-values-and-decision-making-in-health-care/v1.1/#/chapter/5

Herdman TH, Kamitsuru S (Eds) (2014) NANDA International Nursing Diagnoses: Definitions and Classification. 2015-2017. Tenth edition. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford.

Timmins, F., & Caldeira, S. (2017). Assessing the spiritual needs of patients. Nursing Standard (2014+), 31(29), 47. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7748/ns.2017.e10312

Spiritual care provides compassionate dignified care both physically and spiritually, treating the body, mind, and spirit. All humans have spirituality, whether they recognize it or not. Their spirituality is the essence of who they are, their inner self, and their purpose in life. My spiritual beliefs are based on my Christian beliefs that all humans are created in the image of God, by God. Each person has inherent worth and must be treated with respect, compassion, and dignity. Spiritual interventions regarding their beliefs, values, and needs are a vital part of patient care. A spirituality assessment is a key to finding out their beliefs, wants, and needs as a practitioner. I am not knowledgeable on all worldview beliefs, and it is imperative to research and discuss their needs. “Spirituality affects every aspect of a person’s life, so offering emotional and spiritual care support should be an important focus for all health care providers” (Evans, 2020)

Reference:

Evans, Keith A. (2020). Intervention, ethical decision-making, and spiritual care. In Grand Canyon University [GCU]. Practicing Dignity: An introduction to Christian values and decision making in healthcare. (ch.5). https://lc.gcumedia.com/phi413v/practicing-dignity-an-introduction-to-christian-values-and-decision-making-in-health-care/v1.1/#/chapter/5

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I have been a nurse since 1988 and have become more aware because of this class, that my patients are not being provided the spiritual care that they may like and deserve to have. There is a question on the patient’s intake related to their religious preference and how important their religious/spiritual beliefs are to them. The spiritual care that is often practiced on my unit in PACU is related to the patients who have religious beliefs and refuse blood products and babies that are born to Christian parents and are not expected to live, so the nurse calls a Priest or Chaplin to come baptize the baby in PACU before the baby dies.

I believe that nurses must first understand the definition of spirituality before we can provide our patients with competent spiritual care. I believe that a patients spirituality is related to their religious beliefs, faith, and moral and ethical values. A patients spirituality can also have an impact on whether or not they will be compliant with the recommended medical treatments or plan of care as they may not align with their religious beliefs, such as the patient who refuses blood products. As nurses we must understand the significance of our patients spirituality and faith when we are providing care to them. In order to provide the proper spiritual care to our patients, we must first inquire what are their spiritual beliefs, so we can provide understanding, and respect for their spiritual worldview without any bias, so we can provide appropriate care and interventions. When the nurse is attentive to the patients spiritual needs and incorporates the patients spiritual worldview and beliefs into their care, it can help reduce the patient’s worries and concerns, which can then lead to more positive health care outcomes for the patient.

PHI 413 What is your definition of spiritual care

Evans stated that “spirituality refers to the soul and its protection and nurturing during life … protected through correct moral thought and by living as directed through sacred texts” and that humans are innately spiritual beings and at all stages of their lives have a need for spiritual care (Evans, 2020). Evans also stated that health care providers must understand their patient’s inner worldview which part of the foundation of how they approach the administration of care to the patient and their ability to respect their patients spiritual worldview (Evans, 2020). When the health care providers are intentional and attentive to the patient and their family’s spiritual beliefs and needs, the result is more positive holistic health care outcomes for the patient (Evans, 2020).

Reference

Evans, K. (2020). Practicing Dignity: An Introduction to Christian Values and Decision Making in Health Care. Retrieved from: https://lc.gcumedia.com/phi413v/practicing-dignity-an-introduction-to-christian-values-and-decision-making-in-health-care/v1.1/#/chapter/5

To me spiritual care is a practice of faith, hope, and an overall trust in God. Spirituality gives us the ability to know that there is something out there bigger than us, something protecting us in this world. Spiritual care in a clinical setting to me, relates to care that goes beyond physical clinical care. As nurses we provide patients with physical care in many ways including physical healthcare, education, and advancements in physical wellness. Spiritual care comes in different ways and is viewed differently based on the patient we are treating. In the reading, spirituality is referred to as a staple within the healthcare system. It is viewed as a crucial aspect to overall patient care. “Spirituality affects every aspect of a person’s life, so offering emotional and spiritual care support should be an important focus for all health care providers” (Evans, 2020). I agree with the reading and the importance of spiritual care being provided to patients. We must provide thorough assessment and be respectful of the patients spiritual views and proceed by giving the patients strong spiritual support throughout their healing journey.

Evans, K. (2020). Practicing Dignity: An Introduction to Christian Values and Decision Making in

Health Care. Retrieved from: https://lc.gcumedia.com/phi413v/practicing-dignity-an-introduction-to-christian-values-and-decision-making-in-health-care/v1.1/#/chapter/5

My definition of spiritual care is integrating faith into patient care. I think it is important for healthcare professionals to care for a patients mind, body, AND spirit. “Clients prefer that healthcare providers be aware of their religious/spiritual (R/S) beliefs, involve these beliefs in their course of treatment, and talk about the impact of R/S beliefs on the healing process” (Amiri, 2021). Some patients may not like religion or do not practice it, but for the ones that do it is crucial to integrate that into your care for them. Caring for a patient as a whole will benefit their care in a tremendous way, bettering patient outcomes. “A patient’s spiritual needs, even if unspoken, should always be a primary focus for treatment in this area, not the spiritual ideals or specific religion of the nurse. Most patients and their families “do not anticipate in-depth, specialized spiritual care from their nurses, but they do have a strong expectation for some basic spiritual care connections including interventions such as active and empathic listening, proactively communicating, and expressing compassion” (Evans, 2020).

Amiri, H., Farokhzadian, J., & Tirgari, B. (2021, October 25). Empowerment of nurses for integrating clients’ religion/spirituality into clinical practice: Outcomes of an online training program – BMC Nursing. BioMed Central. Retrieved January 26, 2022, from https://bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12912-021-00723-y

PHI 413 What is your definition of spiritual care?