Spiritual Care
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Definition of Spiritual Care
Spiritual care, in my opinion, is catering to patients' spiritual and religious needs while delivering care. It extends beyond only trying to treat physical ailments or administering medications. Spiritual care requires acknowledging and honoring patients' different religious and spiritual views. It recognizes that patients could follow different faiths, denominations, or religious paths or not follow any customs altogether. In my opinion, the purpose of spiritual care is to establish an accepting and nonjudgmental environment that embraces and encourages the patient's spiritual path. According to Hu (2019), the goal of spiritual care is to assist patients in rediscovering the beauty of life, personal development, gaining comfort, hope, faith, peace, and the capacity to be forgiving and loving in the midst of pain and disease. Furthermore, spiritual care aims to assist patients in confronting their fears of dying, reducing the difficulty and discomfort of the therapy process, and regaining their sense of well-being (Hu, 2019). With this care, patients can learn techniques to deal with their conditions and to increase their physical and mental well-being, thus enhancing their quality of life and overall health.
Active listening and empathic engagement are essential aspects of spiritual care. It entails providing sympathetic support and encouraging patients to express their beliefs, fears, and thoughts without judgment (Hu, 2019). In doing so, spiritual care providers establish an environment where patients feel understood, heard, and accepted in their spiritual journeys. Nurses should offer advice and resources to help patients with their spiritual development and discovery. That could involve performing rituals, meditation activities, prayers, or providing related readings or spiritual support groups.
Correspondence with the Topic Readings
The topic readings also describe spiritual care as the emotional and spiritual assistance that nurses provide to patients. The readings also highlight that understanding a patient's personal worldview is crucial to how physicians and other medical workers approach treatment, their capacity to respect that perspective and the patient's beliefs. Nurses who appreciate the value of faith and spirituality can efficiently fill the gap and provide efficient soul care to people in need. By identifying and giving therapies that help lessen spiritual distress, nurses can assist in eliminating the patient's fears and concerns. Evans (2020) states that it enables better and complete social, emotional, and physical well-being.
The topic readings, however, emphasize that spiritual care entails first understanding the patient's view of their illness. For instance, does the person consider their diagnosis and sickness as a curse, a blessing, or another type of divine punishment? Spirituality and religious values influence an individual's understanding of sickness and medical decisions (Evans, 2020). Advanced planning for care, self-autonomy attitudes surrounding treatment, and awareness of sickness and medication compliance are all guided and influenced by a person's spirituality (Evans, 2020). Understanding the patient's viewpoint of the condition could assist clinicians in establishing suitable treatment strategies. If a person believes their sickness is a punishment, they may resist therapy (Evans, 2020). The nurse ought to consider the patient's life story and how the disease and treatment options fit into the account.
In summary, spiritual care entails catering to a person's spiritual health by developing a supportive environment, genuinely listening, giving advice and resources, and acknowledging their unique convictions and experiences. Spiritual care is a holistic approach to improving patients' well-being and standard of life by recognizing and supporting their religious practices and beliefs. It emphasizes the significance of the patient's spiritual journey, fosters empathy and inclusion, and assists patients in finding purpose and courage during times of suffering.
References
Evans, K. A. (2020). Intervention, Ethical Decision-Making, and Spiritual Care. An Introduction to Christian Values and Decision Making in Health Care. Practicing Dignity. https://lc.gcumedia.com/phi413v/practicing-dignity-an-introduction-to-christian-values-and-decision-making-in-health-care/v1.1/#/chapter/5
Hu, Y., Jiao, M., & Li, F. (2019). Effectiveness of spiritual care training to enhance spiritual health and spiritual care competency among oncology nurses. BMC palliative care, 18, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-019-0489-3