Spirituality-Based Nursing Practice by Nursing Students: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This exploratory mixed-method study examines the nature of awareness and application of spirituality in senior nursing students in two separate nursing baccalaureate degree nursing programs. A comprehensive study of the literature yielded 45 statements on personal spirituality and its use in patient care, which were converted to a Likert-type scale questionnaire used as the instrument for this study. A purposive sample consisted of 86 senior-level nursing students in their final semester of study in both schools. Independent t tests, stepwise regression analysis, and factor analysis were used to determine the nature of spiritual-based nursing practice by these students in terms of their awareness, use, and understanding of this metaphysical dimension of health care. Combined mean spirituality score was 128.76; spirituality scores from the two groups were not significantly different, t(64)= 0.668, P = .507. Factor analysis extracted five dimensions of spirituality-based nursing. Results were used to support the development of a practice theory of spirituality-based nursing practice. Findings can be used to advance nursing theory, provide direction for curricular development, and strengthen nursing practice.