Spirituality Assessment in nursing care assignment
Spirituality Assessment in nursing care assignment
Spirituality Assessment in nursing care assignment
Spirituality Assessment in nursing care assignment
Spirituality Assessment in nursing care assignment
This assignment introduces you to spiritual concepts. Identify an individual (friend or family member) willing to participate in a spiritual assessment. Use the two different tools, HOPE questions and the FICA tool (Attached) to interview the participant.
Share your findings in a 3 page paper *along with a reflection about which tool you found was the most helpful in guiding your nursing care*. Discuss what situations you would you choose to use each tool.
There exists a lack of agreement around the definition of spirituality, indeed debate continues within the academic literature around the conceptualisation and definition of both spirituality and religiosity (1). Spirituality has been described as an umbrella term to denote the various meanings and interpretations of the term (2). Within nursing definitions of spirituality have been seen to include elements such as a higher power, feelings of connectedness, purpose and meaning in life, relationships and transcendence (3-5).
Regardless of the way it is defined or conceptualised spirituality is reported to contribute to the health and wellbeing of individuals (6).
Spiritual wellbeing is associated with a number of positive outcomes including a greater tolerance of the emotional and physical demands of illness amongst patients (7) decreases in pain, stress and negative emotions (8), and lower risk of both depression and suicide (7). Patients who receive adequate spiritual care are also reportedly more satisfied with their hospital care and treatment (9).
The reverse appears true for unmet spiritual needs, with suggestion that when patients’ spiritual needs are unmet there are seen to be lower levels of satisfaction with care received (10). Unmet spiritual needs appear to have a profound impact upon patient wellbeing (11). These adverse outcomes include reduced levels of quality of life, increased risk of depression and reduction in perceptions of spiritual peace (12).
Online nursaing papers on : Spirituality Assessment in nursing care assignment
Subsequently spiritual needs are acknowledged as being an important part of nursing care and assessment, and as such it can be regarded as a patient outcome. Indeed internationally there is growing emphasis on the importance of the spiritual needs of patients (13). Spiritual care is believed to be a major part of the nurse’s role (14). This is consistent with the nurse’s role as a multifaceted one, focusing on holistic care, incorporating the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of patients (15). Research has acknowledged that spiritual distress may occur at any time during the patient’s journey and as such nurses should be prepared to provide spiritual care whenever it is needed including via the provision of a spiritual needs assessment (16). It has also been found (17) that nurses were both more likely to provide spiritual care and to contact specialist spiritual carers than physicians.
Despite this, there is evidence that spiritual needs and assessment are not always well engaged with by nursing staff, with suggestion in the literature that engagement with the spiritual needs of patients does not consistently occur (18). A variety of reasons may contribute to this, with the literature proposing various contributors including time pressures (19) and fear around the reaction of the patient to their attempts to aid with spiritual care (20). Cultural and religious differences may also affect ability to provide spiritual care, research (21) has found differences in knowledge of and training in spiritual care between Taiwanese and Mainland Chinese nurses. There is also said to be confusion amongst nurses about their role in spiritual care and assessment (22) a lack of clear definition over spiritual care as well as confusion over spiritual distress can act to make nurses less likely to deliver spiritual care to their patients (14). A perceived lack of skill in the area of spiritual care and of under preparation (23) and lack of confidence may also contribute (1). Indeed nurses often report the need for additional training provision in this area (e.g. 23).
- Student paper example
- Citing Sources
- The Writing Center is a great resource
24/7 Nursing Homework Help
Stuck on a nursing assignment question? From easy essays to complicated dissertations, our accredited writers can answer all questions!
