An exploration of how spiritual nursing care is applied in clinical nursing practice

Abstract

Spiritual nursing care is a significant concept for nurses as they are expected to provide holistic care to patients. Many nurses have difficulty to understand and integrate it into practice and consequently neglect this aspect of care. The study was conducted to explore and describe how professional nurses provide spiritual care to patients. A generic qualitative, explorative and descriptive study was conducted based on Symbolic Interactionism as the philosophical base. The population comprised professional nurses from a public hospital. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling methods. Data were collected through the use of individual, focus group interviews and observation. Data analysis methods utilised included the NUD*IST computer program, coding, constant comparison method and Tesch’s guidelines on data analysis. Findings revealed that nurses struggled to conceptualise spiritual nursing care and to differentiate it from emotional, social or psychological care. However, prayer with or for patients and singing spiritual songs had the highest count of interventions perceived to be effective. Recommendations suggest that the scope of practice and curriculum of training of nurses be reviewed to consider how spiritual nursing care can be evidenced and realised both in the classroom and in the clinical setting. Spiritual nursing care is still a neglected and seemingly complex component of patient care. However, the scientific worldview practices, beliefs and insufficient statutory endorsement of such care hamper its realisation in practice.Geestelike verpleegsorg is ’n belangrike konsep omdat van verpleegkundiges verwag word om pasiënte holisties te versorg. Baie verpleegkundiges vind dié begrip en die integrering daarvan problematies en verwaardeloos gevolglik hierdie aspek van sorg. Die studie ondersoek en beskryf die mate waartoe verpleegkundiges geestelike sorg aan pasiënte verleen. ’n Basiese kwalitatiewe, ekploratiewe, beskrywende studie is uitgevoer met Simboliese Interaksionisme as die filosofiese basis. Professionele verpleegkundiges in ’n openbare hospitaal is vir die studie gebruik. Deelnemers is deur doelgerigte sneeubal-selekteringsmetodes gewerf. Data is deur individuele-, fokusgroeponderhoude en waarneming ingesamel. Metodes vir data-analise het die NUD*IST-rekenaarprogram, kodering, konstante vergelykingsmetode en Tesch se riglyne vir data-analise ingesluit. Resultate toon verpleegkundiges vind dit moeilik om geestelike verpleegsorg te konseptualiseer en van emosionele, sosiale of sielkundige sorg te onderskei. Nietemin het gebed met of vir pasiënte en die sing van geestelike liedere die hoogste telling wat as effektiewe intervensie beskou kan word. Aanbevelings suggereer die hersiening van die bestek van praktyk asook die kurrikulum vir die opleiding van verpleegkundiges ten einde sorg te dra dat geestelike verpleegsorg in die klaskamer sowel as in die kliniese praktyk sigbaar en verwesenlik word. Geestelike verpleegsorg is steeds ‘n verwaarloosde en oënskynlik ’n komplekse komponent van pasiëntsorg. Desondanks word die praktykverwesenliking daarvan belemmer deur die wetenskaplike wêreldbeskouing, oortuigings en onvoldoende statutêre onderskrywing.

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