Abstract
Abstract Introduction Spirituality is universal and is a major factor in the search for meaning in life. Spiritual care helps to overcome the fear of the unknown and anxiety related to distress or dying. The majority of healthcare providers do not feel competent or confident to deliver spiritual care. Currently there are gaps in spiritual care delivery, despite the availability of spiritual care services during patient’s and families’ imminent spiritual privations. Methods A written survey was conducted among the clinical nurses in the burn unit to identify the nurse’s perception regarding spiritual care. The survey was voluntary and anonymous. The survey contained six multiple choice questions and a comment section. (See Table 1) Results There was an 88% response rate (n=30) from all nurses (n=34) in the unit. While majority (90.3%) of staff felt spiritual care was an important component in the overall care, only 13.3% felt confident to provide the care. Among the survey participants, 77.4% agreed they had come across a time when they were not able to obtain spiritual care for their patient. Among the survey responders, 77.4% believed a nurse could be trained to deliver spiritual care in urgent situations to fill the gap in the absence of hospital chaplain. Finally, the nursing staff was asked if they would be interested in receiving education and 38.7% agreed they were interested in spiritual care education (Table 1). Conclusions Burn unit nurses reported spiritual care as an essential component for the holistic care of patients. However, nurses admit they lack confidence in providing spiritual care and agreed to the need for spiritual care education, with about a third of them being willing to obtain the education. As a result of this assessment, education will be provided to nurses in the burn unit as a pilot project. The overall goal is to educate the nurses throughout the facility who are interested in improving their spiritual care delivery. Applicability of Research to Practice Proper nursing education is needed to develop competency and confidence to provide spiritual care and minimize the gaps in spiritual care services during a patient’s imminent death or spiritual distress.
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