Spiritual Care

1. Spiritual Care

2. Objectives The learner will be able to: • Discuss components of a spiritual assessment. • Identify three management strategies for a client experiencing spiritual distress.

3. The Definition of Spirit • The essence of a human being • The source of Life • What makes an individual uniquely human • All that a person is except for the body while still united with the body

4. Care of the Spirit • The nurse should be comfortable with his or her own spirituality. • All nurses should be competent to assess the need for and provide interventions. • To provide spiritual care, the nurse must be open and honor the wishes of the individual person.

5. Spiritual Assessment • Assessment should occur at diagnosis and with any changes in treatment or disease status, especially at end of life and as needed. • Valid assessment tools for spirituality and spiritual distress are useful in providing opportunities for discussion. • It is helpful for the nurse and patient to be talking about the same concepts. • The role of the nurse is often supportive.

6. Definition of Use of self • The use of self will be more important than any assessment tool. • The use of self includes intuition, active listening, and an ability to communicate empathy, trustworthiness, and acceptance that allows the patient to feel safe and free to share.

7. Use of the FICA Mnemonic • Faith – Does the patient have religious beliefs that help with coping? • Important – How important is his or her belief system and how does it relate to his or her health and decisions for treatment? • Community – Is there a group of individuals important in the patient’s life who can provide support? • Address – How does the patient want the provider to address these issues during his or her care?

8. Interventions • Has the four attributes of intuitive, interpersonal, altruistic, and integrative • Nurses’ role may be more supportive. • Prayer and ritual can be important aids in coping with spiritual issues.

9. Interventions • At times, the patient may need to focus on his or her own inner resources. • Family and friends are essential. Encourage family and friends to also care for themselves. • Encourage older patients to share the story of their life.

10. Interventions • Nurses can help cultivate a realistic sense of hope during challenging times with presence, humor, listening, helping the patient to establish and use support systems, assisting in affirming personal worth, recalling positive memories, and providing information in an honest, respectful, and compassionate manner.

11. Interventions • Patient education about coping with their illness may include both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions. • Safety issues • Education on how medication may affect their activities of daily living • Encourage use of chaplaincy and community-based spiritual care.

12. References Ambuel, B., & Weissman, D.E. (1999). Fast fact and concept #19: Taking a spiritual history. End of Life Education Project. Retrieved from http://www.eperc.mcw.edu Tinley, S. (2010). Spiritual care for the oncology nurse. In C.G. Brown (Ed.), A guide to oncology symptom management (pp. 497-508). Pittsburgh, PA: Oncology Nursing Society.