Spiritual
Nursing
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Definition
 Spirituality
is defined as the experience
and expressions of one’s spirit in a unique
and dynamic process reflecting faith in
God or supreme being, connectedness
with oneself, with others, universe, or God
and integration of the dimension, mind,
body and spirit
 Spirituality is the quality or essence that
pervades, integrates and transcends
one’s bio psychosocial nature.
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 Religion
is a belief system, including
dogma, rituals, and traditions or it is a
social institution in which people
participate together rather than an
individual searching alone for the
meaning of life
 The word spirituality is derived from the
latin word ‘spiritus’ means ‘breath of wind’
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 Monotheism
– is the belief in the existence
of one God who created and who rules
the universe
 Polytheism – is the belief in more than one
God
 Atheism – is the uncertainty about the
existence of God or supreme being
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Spiritual dimensions
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A sense of personal contentment
A sense of peace with the self and the world
A sense of fulfillment in life and interaction
with self and others
The ability to discover and articulate a basic
purpose in life
The ability to experience love, joy, peace and
contentment
The ability to live in wholeness consistent with
the values of community and self.
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Spiritual health includes
A
concern for others and self
 A sense of meaning and enjoyment in life
 A commitment to purpose rather than self
 A sense of relatedness
 A means for moving through debilitating
guilt, anger or anxiety
 Life affirming relationship or harmonious
interconnectness with deity, self,
community and environment.
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Characteristics of spirituality
A
sense of wholeness and harmony within
oneself
 A sense of wholeness and harmony with
others
 A sense of wholeness and harmony with
God or supreme power
 A sense of wholeness and harmony with
the ecosystem.
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Spirituality and health
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Health is defined as a state of well being
resulting from harmonious interaction of body,
mind, spirit and the environment.
A person’s health depends on a balance of
physical, psychological, sociological,
developmental and spiritual factors
Spirituality is considered as one of the
important factors that helps to achieve the
balance needed to maintain health and well
being and to cope with illness
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Holistic health model
Cultur
al
physi
ologi
cal
psych
ologi
cal
Health
Enviro
nmen
tal
Sociol
ogica
l
Spiritu
al
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Spiritual care in nursing
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It is an essential component of comprehensive
nursing care
It can decrease suffering and aid in physical and
mental healing
Nurse should have skill in developing trusting
relationship with clients
Nurse should communicate with sensitivity and
empathy to have a good understanding of the
patient’s values
Should understand the wider concepts of
spirituality
Should respect all the religion and belief of clients
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Characteristics of Spiritual
health/ well being
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Sense of inner peace
Compassion for life
Reverence for life
Gratitude
Appreciation of both unity and diversity
Humor
Wisdom
Generosity
Ability to transcend the self
Capacity for unconditional love
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Spiritual needs
 Need
for love
 Need for hope
 Need for trust
 Need for
forgiveness
 Need for to be
respected and
valued
 Need for dignity
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Need for meaning to
the fullness of life
Need for values
Need for creativity
Need to be
connected with God
or supreme power
Need to belong to a
community
Sense of purpose
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Factors that affect spiritual
health
 Culture
 Gender
 Previous
experience
 Crisis and change
 Separation from spiritual ties
 Factors across life span
 Physiological factors
 Moral issues regarding therapy
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Spiritual distress
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It refers to a challenge to the spiritual well
being or to the belief system that provides
strength, hope and meaning to life. Spiritual
distress incorporates five spiritual needs and
they are;
Forgiveness
Love
Hope
Trust
Meaning and purpose in life
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Characteristics of spiritual
distress
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Showing maladaptive
behavior
Showing discomfort
with self awareness
Expressing ambivalent
feeling about God
Lacking love
relationship with God
Having value conflicts
Unable to accept God
Behaving self
destructively.
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Fearing death/ life after
death
Refusing to cooperate with
health regimen
Being bitter/ angry with
God
Lacking commitment
Fearing therapy
Feeling of worthlessness
about life
Having unattainable goals
Expressing lack of hope
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Goals of spiritual care
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Help the client fulfill religious obligations
Help the client draw on and use inner
resources more effectively to meet the
present situation
Help the client maintain or establish a
dynamic, personal relationship with a
supreme being in the face of unpleasant
circumstances
Help the client find meaning of existence and
present situation
Promote a sense of hope
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Assessment
 Assess
concept of God and deity
 Source of hope and strength
 Religious practices and rituals
 Relationship between spiritual beliefs and
state of health
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Nursing diagnosis
 Spiritual
distress related to loss of
child/sense of guilt/ conflict about belief/
sexual abuse/ crisis of illness
 Potential for enhanced spiritual well being
 Risk for spiritual distress
 Ineffective coping related to loss of loved
one/ psychiatric disorder/ alcoholism
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 Readiness
to enhanced spiritual well
being related to terminal illness
 Dysfunctional grieving related to multiple
losses/ loss of employment/ career/ lack
of physical independence
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Planning
 Help
client create, maintain or renew
relationships
 Help to meet the need for love expressed
through relationship and seen in words
and acts of kindness
 Help the client to search for meaning
 Create a need of hope in the person
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Interventions
 Communicating
about spiritual needs
 Nurse must use herself/ himself
therapeutically
 Accompany client
 Promoting therapeutic environment
 Providing access to spiritual advisors
 Helping client maintain relationships
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 Support
client’s religious practices
 Create a trusting relationship with him
 Do not discuss personal spiritual beliefs
with clients unless the client requests
 Allow time and privacy and provide
comfort measures prior to private worship,
prayer or meditation
 Respect and ensure safety of client’s
religious articles
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 Help
client explore meaning of life
 Encourage hope
 Help client to interpret crisis as spiritual
growth
 Help client to cope with suffering
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