Abstract

Cancer is the leading number one killer for ten cause of mortality in Taiwan. A literature review indicates that the majority of cancer patients explore their spiritual care needs. However, nurses frequently neglect the patients' spiritual care. The problem is that nurses are unfamiliar with assessing and diagnosing spiritual problems, as well as providing spiritual care for cancer patients. This study aims to develop a framework of spiritual care for cancer patients and established defining characteristics, related factors, nursing interventions, and outcomes-criteria of spiritual distress for cancer patients. A qualitative research with a purposive sampling procedure was used in this study. Cancer patients were interviewed by using semi-open questions following Wlotersdorff (1994) framework to guide them describe the experiences of themselves, with others, and with their gods during the cancer illness. This study was conducted in the chemotherapy room of a southern medical center, Taiwan, from February to April, 2003. Based on the categories of study findings, the investigator developed 27 defining characteristics, 13 related factors, 20 nursing interventions, and 18 outcomes criteria of spiritual distress for cancer patients. Based on the findings, the spiritual distress of cancer patients has defined as a cancer patient has the experiences of negative psychological states, contradictory relationship with health care professionals, God, traditional values, religion, and difficulties to deal with death issues. Besides, the investigator developed a framework of spiritual care for cancer patients and four scales on which defining characteristics, related factors, nursing interventions, and outcomes-criteria for spiritual distress for cancer patients. An upcoming study will evaluate the reliability and validity of these scales for future application to cancer patients. The hope is places on cancer patients who will live meaningfully by strengthening their spiritual care.

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