How To Provide Spiritual Care

Caring for those who are dying can be extremely taxing. It may cause you to ponder your own mortality, your beliefs, and your search for meaning and purpose in life. Take some time to care for your spiritual well-being. Spending time with family and friends, meditation, physical activity, reading, spending time in nature, and adhering to religious rituals are all examples of spiritual self-care. If you're having trouble, you might want to talk to your boss, a counselor, a psychologist, or a religious leader.

What does a spiritual care do?

Spiritual care addresses a person's spiritual or religious needs as he or she copes with disease, loss, grief, or pain, and can assist them in healing emotionally as well as physically, rebuilding relationships, and regaining a sense of spiritual well-being.

How does a nurse provide spiritual care?

Dennis Graham Ph.D., RN, ANP-BCc, Brian P. Hughes, BCC, MDiv, MSb, Ronit Elk, Ph.D.a, Eric J. Hall, MDivb, Cristy DeGregory, Ph.D., RNa, Ronit Elk, Ph.D., RNa, Ronit Elk, Ph.D., RNa, Ronit Elk, Ph.D., RNa, Ronit Elk,

University of South Carolina College of Nursing; 1601 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208

65 Broadway, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10006-2503 b HealthCare Chaplaincy Network Spiritual Care Association

Molloy College;1000 Hempstead Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY 11571-5002 Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing

Spiritual care has been identified as an important component of holistic nursing care in the promotion of health and well-being. The goal of this paper is to describe: (1) the current state of knowledge regarding the good therapeutic impact of spiritual care offered by healthcare providers to patients. (2) How nurses can provide spiritual care despite a lack of training by screening for spiritual needs and preferences, sending patients for spiritual assessment, and delivering a variety of spiritual care. (3) Techniques for detecting spiritual discomfort and effectively intervening. (4) Nurses' spiritual well-being. Conclusions: Although it has been strongly suggested that nurses provide spiritual care, the lack of such training as part of the nursing curriculum has resulted in a lack of competence and knowledge in this area. Despite this, nurses are capable of providing many areas of spiritual care. It is a missed chance to improve patient care if spiritual support is not provided to patients. There is a huge research vacuum in techniques for establishing spiritual care competences in nursing students that needs to be filled.

Determining spirituality: Determining spirituality is a difficult task. This is the consensus definition reached by a recent international interdisciplinary expert panel: “Spirituality is a dynamic and integral aspect of humanity in which people seek ultimate meaning, purpose, and transcendence, as well as experience relationships with themselves, their families, others, their communities, society, nature, and the significant or sacred. Beliefs, values, traditions, and behaviors all contribute to spirituality” (C. M. Puchalski, Vitillo, Hull, & Reller, 2014). Spirituality and religion are sometimes confused. They are not interchangeable. The term “religion” is defined as “a subset of spirituality that encompasses a community's shared beliefs and practices, as well as rituals that acknowledge, worship, communicate with, or approach the sacred, the divine, or God (in Western cultures), or ultimate truth, reality, or nirvana (in Eastern cultures) (Koenig, 2008). Religion is one method for people to show their spirituality, but it is by no means the only way. Religion is more concerned with the systems or social organizations that bring together people who share similar ideas or values (Emblen, 1992).

Determining the Difference Between Spiritual Well-Being and Spiritual Distress: These are defined by NANDA-International as follows: Preparation for improved spiritual well-being: “A pattern of experiencing and integrating meaning and purpose in one's life through connections with one's self, others, art, music, literature, nature, and/or a power larger than oneself, which can be strengthened” (Diagnoses, N. N., 2003a) At risk for spiritual distress: “vulnerable to an impaired ability to experience and integrate meaning and purpose in life through connectedness within self, literature, nature, and/or a power greater than oneself, which may compromise health” (Caldeira & Vieira, 2012), and spiritual distress: “a state of suffering related to the impaired ability to experience meaning in life through connections with self, others, the world, or a superior being” (Caldeira & Vieira, 2012). (Diagnoses, N. N., 2003b)

(a) Spiritual Preferences and Needs: Spiritual Screening and Spiritual History: The assessment of the patient's spiritual requirements is the first step in delivering well-integrated spiritual care. A spiritual screen, a spiritual history, and a spiritual assessment are among the three types of screening available. Depending on the institution where the nurse works, one or more of these will be conducted by her or another team member.

I Conducting a Spiritual Screen: This is a tool that consists of only a few questions and is used to determine the patient's spiritual preferences as well as any distress so that they can be sent to a chaplain. The Spiritual Struggle Screening Protocol (Fitchett & Risk, 2009) is one such tool:

(b) Referring the Patient for a Spiritual Assessment: Only a spiritual care specialist, such as a chaplain, should perform this process. It is a discussion in which the patient is listened to and the spiritual requirements are assessed, and it necessitates specialized knowledge and time (Bowden, J., Murphy, P., & Peery, B, 2016). The spiritual evaluation not only identifies spiritual needs and resources, but also creates a spiritual care plan and intended results. This assessment is always presented in the patient's chart, but it may or may not wind up in the patient's file, depending on the institution “ancillary notes,” which, regrettably, healthcare workers rarely read. As a result, it is critical for the nurse to know where this is filed and to analyze it because it may have a direct impact on the patient's treatment.

(c) Spiritual Care in a Variety of Forms: Nurses can provide spiritual care by addressing a number of essential spiritual themes. This includes acknowledging and supporting the patient's spiritual beliefs and requirements, as well as tailoring spiritual care to the patient's specific needs. This entails expressing compassion explicitly, actively listening, and guiding the patient through their health-care journey. Nurses should also be aware of how a hospitalization affects the patient's and family's spiritual well-being, as well as the spiritual resources that may be required. To prevent any HIPAA concerns, this may entail partnering with local community faith leaders to give more in-depth spiritual support as needed, with the patient's approval. It's vital to remember that not everyone in the largely Christian United States is a Christian, and that many people express their spirituality in a range of distinct, and even separate, religious or spiritual ways (Eric J Hall, Brian P. Hughes, & George H. Handzo, 2016). Nurses should be aware of and respectful of how a patient's faith tradition, spiritual beliefs, and priorities influence their treatment. Patients frequently request that the nurse pray with them. If a nurse is uncomfortable praying with a patient, she or he can recommend the patient to a religious leader, stating, for example, “I don't normally pray directly with my patients. I can, however, contact the chaplain/minister who does. Today and during your journey, I promise to keep you in my thoughts and prayers.” If the nurse is at ease, it's a good idea to ask the patient what he or she would like the nurse to pray for. This invites clarity, conveys respect for the patient, and allows the patient to decide what, when, and who is participating in the prayer, which many people regard as a private shared action. It is critical not to pray for patients who are not Christians “In the name of Jesus,” says the narrator.

Finally, if a nurse feels that a patient is about to experience spiritual distress, she or he can use a variety of interventions. According to the Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC) (Nursing Interventions and Rationales, 2013), the nurse should:

1.Look for signs of low self-esteem, self-worth, futility, or hopelessness in the client.

3.Attend to the client's religious and spiritual needs by being physically present and available.

7.Hold client's hand or softly lay hand on arm if client is comfortable with touch. Nonverbal communication becomes more intimate when it is touched.

eleven. Pay attention to the client's feelings regarding dying. Allow time for grief and be nonjudgmental.

11.Assist the client in developing skills to cope with illness or changes in their lifestyle. Include the client in the care planning process.

13.Allow client to pray with others or be read to by members of their own faith in a private setting.

What are the 7 spiritual needs?

Mind, body, spirit, love, work, play, and the world: a personal strategy for exploring and enriching the seven dimensions of life.

We were lately examining Iranian nurses' spiritual care competencies as nurse researchers. Using a self-directed instrument, we discovered that nurses are unfamiliar with the notion of spirituality and how to provide spiritual care.

How do you build your spiritual endurance?

1. Take it easy.

The fact that the wall occurs at the conclusion of the race, around mile 18-20 of 26.2, is probably the cruelest aspect of it. Coming so far just to be met with a brick wall is arguably the most disheartening experience you can have. The final few miles of the race feel like an impassable gulf.

I'll admit that I've never run a marathon, but it's on my bucket list. My wife, on the other hand, had, and when I asked about the wall, she remarked, “Apart from having children, that was the most difficult thing I've ever done.” When the wall fell, she said, “I slowed down a lot and concentrated on taking one stride at a time rather than thinking about how far I still had to go.”

When you hit a brick wall in life, you have little choice but to slow down. It can make all the difference if you approach this time with genuine intention. I was forced to slow down when I lost my work a few months ago. With a much more flexible schedule, I was able to focus on my life and what I genuinely wanted to do for work in the future. It enabled me to discover work that is both meaningful and enjoyable to me.

2. Make small, attainable goals.

Setting short, attainable objectives was another great tactic my wife utilized to help her accomplish her marathon.

She would create small objectives for herself, such as “I'll make it to the next telephone pole” or “I'll run until I reach the black car parked on the street.” A new objective is set each time the object is reached.

This approach can also be applied to your personal life. You can set objectives such as “I'll be calm for the next hour” or “I'll compose 100 words in the next 30 minutes.” Set a new goal every time you achieve one. If you don't quite make it, try making it even smaller.

3. Create a mental image

On days when I wanted to quit jogging, I imagined a cable linked to my chest and a winch on the other end, cranking me onward.

If you're putting off doing something difficult, imagine yourself accomplishing it in a state of flow. Imagine yourself focused and in the zone, with everything coming naturally to you.

4. Make sure you're telling your brain the proper stories.

Any runner will tell you that their diet has a significant impact on their success or failure. Preloading your body with high-quality carbs can help you avoid or overcome the wall, and feeding your mind with the correct tales or information can do the same “The right kind of “brain food” can make a huge difference in your endurance.

Grab a pen and paper and write down the first ideas that spring to mind to discover the default and unconscious stories you tell yourself.

You might write something like “I'm not good enough” or “I don't have what it takes” or something similar “I'm too exhausted to continue.” Find evidence that contradicts your assumptions to challenge your default thinking. What have you been able to withstand in the past? Whose standards are you failing to meet? Is it feasible to change those criteria?

Once you've challenged your thinking, even if you don't believe it, tell yourself the exact opposite of your default thinking. At every turn, think “I can” rather than “I can't.”

5. Pray or seek assistance.

Despite the fact that running might feel like a lonely sport, runners will tell you that having a running buddy helps them stay motivated. They may also pray or meditate while running to stay focused and divert their attention away from the discomfort. They may even be able to appreciate the natural beauty of their surroundings.

If you feel like giving up, you can do any of these things. Take your attention away from yourself. Take a look around you. How are things going for you? In your life, who has been a blessing? Who can you contact or invite to dinner? Have you said a silent prayer today?

What is spiritual care services?

Spiritual Care Care delivers spiritual or religious services to each patient and his or her family members who have been touched by a catastrophic illness diagnosis by:

• Helping our patients and their families deal with religious, spiritual, and emotional issues that arise as a result of disease.
• Assisting the family in using their faith as a source of strength and encouragement throughout the treatment process.
• Assisting the patient/family in communication with the local religious community.
• Assisting the patient care team in understanding the importance of religious/spiritual issues and how they influence a patient's sickness, treatment, and recovery, as well as developmental and educational needs.
• Participating in study aiming to improve family unit care and adaptation to chronic illness, upon request.

What is a spiritual care worker?

Spiritual Health Practitioners are scientifically trained to promote patients' and families' spiritual health, regardless of their beliefs, cultural perspectives, or practices.

Practitioners of Spiritual Health promote spiritual well-being. This is an individual's experience of connection with self, others, and what is seen as ultimate/Other. A sense of meaning and purpose is essential to spiritual well-being.

Spiritual Health Practitioners also assist other health-care professionals in comprehending the role of a patient's and family's beliefs in treatment decisions and spiritual needs expressions.