An exploration of spirituality and spiritual care with rehabilitation inpatients

Abstract

Purpose The aim of this study was to explore spirituality in inpatient rehabilitation care from the patient’s perspective. Materials and methods Participants were recruited from three inpatient rehabilitation services in Sydney, Australia. A qualitative research design was adopted. Demographic data collected included religious affiliation, age and gender. Participants completed a short survey, where they indicated the level of acceptability for 14 items which could be used in a spiritual history. This was followed by a semi-structured interview where participants discussed how they would like to be asked about spirituality, and by whom. Results Eighteen participants were recruited (10 females, 8 males; mean age 68.8 years) and were undertaking either general rehabilitation (n = 9) or neurorehabilitation (spinal cord injury n = 6, traumatic brain injury n = 3). The impact of loss and existential struggle was evident for participants with long-lasting injuries. These participants could identify sources of spiritual strength which helped them engage with hardship and described how staff could facilitate access to these sources of strength. Conclusions Rehabilitation inpatients are willing to explore issues around spirituality. Staff can support inpatients to access sources of spiritual strength by creating a safe and trusting environment and finding out what is most meaningful to the patient.