Spiritual Care Of Cancer Patients Research Articles

Spiritual Care for Cancer Patients at the End-of-Life.

Spiritual care for patients at the end of life is an important element in their holistic care. The aim of this study is to assess the opinions of cancer patients with limited prognosis about the importance of faith in fighting illness and the factors contributing to a better adjustment to illness and to their self-reconciliation and spiritual well-being. This study used a specially designed questionnaire for cancer patients with limited prognosis. The 30 respondents were patients with an estimated prognosis of less than 1 month, cared for in a unit with palliative and home care beds. The patients emphasized the importance of family as a supporter in the fight against disease (90%), followed by faith (66.7%) and a care team (63.3%). The most common concerns expressed were related to the course of their disease, family distress, fear of death, and the Russian-Ukrainian war. Family and faith represent important factors in supporting and caring for a patient at the end-of-life. Patients who felt spiritually at peace and were supported in their faith by family and a priest had a better spiritual state.

Application progress of dignity therapy in spiritual care of cancer patients

Through systematic literature review, this paper summarizes the current situation of spiritual care needs of cancer patients, clarifies the outline and evaluation tools of dignity therapy, and expounds the research and clinical practice of dignity therapy in spiritual care of cancer patients at home and abroad, the aim of the study is to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical practice of spiritual care in the Chinese mainland.

Spiritual Care in Action for Oncology Patients in the uMgungundlovu and eThekwini Health Districts, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: A Qualitative Study.

Globally the inclusion of spiritual activities has been well adopted into nursing care. Empirical work related to the inclusion of spiritual activities in nursing within the South African context particularly within the oncology setting is sparse. Being diagnosed with cancer can be unsettling because of the severity and vigorous treatment that one has to endure. Spiritual activities could be used as one of the coping strategies for cancer patients in times of spiritual distress. Strengthening spiritual care by including spiritual activities into daily nursing care could be beneficial to the patient and the institution. This study aimed to explore spiritual activities that could strengthen spiritual care in oncology nursing practice. The research study followed a phenomenological qualitative descriptive design. The study population consisted of professional nurses working in the oncology units for more than 6 months. Four health care institutions were purposively selected. Data was collected through individual in-depth interviews and field notes. Ten professional nurses were recruited at the point of data saturation. Data analysis followed inductively using content analysis enrolling steps from Elo and Kyngas. The findings revealed the nurse's willingness to embrace spiritual care in action into their daily nursing care. Three subthemes: holding patient's hands, hospital policy for patient visits, and music therapy outline how patients are comforted by nurses. Nurses are integral in the provision of spiritual care for cancer patients from diagnosis up until the end of life. The essence of spiritual activities gives patients a distraction and an escape from their pain and predicament thus improving their quality of life. The findings provide policy makers with an indication that patients do not only need medical and physical care but spiritual care in their nursing care plan.

Assessing the Impact of Provider Training and Perceived Barriers on the Provision of Spiritual Care: a Mixed Methods Study.

The current study evaluated formal training around spiritual care for healthcare providers and the relationships between that training, perceived barriers to spiritual care, and frequency of inquiry around spiritual topics. A mixed methods explanatory sequential design was used. Quantitative methods included an online survey administered to providers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. Main and interactive effects of formal training and barriers to spiritual care on frequency of inquiry around spiritual topics were assessed with two-way ANOVA. Qualitative follow-up explored provider strategies to engage spiritual topics. Among 340 quantitative participants, most were female (82.1%) or White (82.6%) with over one-half identifying as religious (57.5%). The majority were nurses (64.7%) and less than 10% of all providers (n = 26) indicated formal training around spiritual care. There were main effects on frequency of inquiry around spiritual topics for providers who indicated "personal discomfort" as a barrier (p < 0.001), but not formal training (p = 0.526). Providers who indicated "personal discomfort" as a barrier inquired about spirituality less frequently, regardless of receiving formal training (M = 8.0, SD = 1.41) or not (M = 8.76, SD = 2.96). There were no interactive effects between training and "may offend patients" or "personal discomfort" (p = 0.258 and 0.125, respectively). Qualitative analysis revealed four strategies with direct and indirect approaches: (1) permission-giving, (2) self-awareness/use-of-self, (3) formal assessment, and (4) informal assessment. Training for providers should emphasize self-awareness to address intrapersonal barriers to improve the frequency and quality of spiritual care for cancer patients.

Healthcare provider self-reported observations and behaviors regarding their role in the spiritual care of cancer patients

The provision of spiritual care by an interprofessional healthcare team is an important, yet frequently neglected, component of patient-centered cancer care. The current study aimed to assess the relationship between individual and occupational factors of healthcare providers and their self-reported observations and behaviors regarding spiritual care in the oncologic encounter. A cross-sectional survey was administered to healthcare providers employed at a large Comprehensive Cancer Center. Pearson's chi-square test and logistic regression were used to determine potentialassociations between provider factors and their observations and behaviors regarding spiritual care. Among the participants emailed, 420 followed the survey link, with 340 (80.8%) participants completing the survey. Most participants were female (82.1%) and Caucasian (82.6%) with a median age was 35 years (IQR: 31-48). Providers included nurses (64.7%), physicians (17.9%), and "other" providers (17.4%). There was a difference in provider observations about discussing patient issues around religion and spirituality (R&S). Specifically, nurses more frequently inquired about R&S (60.3%), while physicians were less likely (41.4%) (p = 0.028). Also, nurses more frequently referred to chaplaincy/clergy (71.8%), while physicians and other providers more often consulted psychology/psychiatry (62.7%, p < 0.001). Perceived barriers to not discussing R&S topics included potentially offending patients (56.5%) and time limitations (47.7%). Removing extrinsic barriers and understanding intrinsic influences can improve the provision of spiritual care by healthcare providers.

Drugs, Death, Denial and Cancer Care: Using Breaking Bad in the spiritual care of cancer patients

This article argues that watching Breaking Bad (2008–13) could encourage people affected by cancer to recognise and reconsider damaging reactions to their condition. If viewers are invited to see the series’ antihero, Walter White, as an iconic ‘silhouette’ of a better path not taken, this can provoke them to entertain more honest, constructive attitudes to cancer and death. Using the theological concept of a ‘silhouette of goodness’ and Jung’s theory of the ego-life and true Self, this article suggests that symbolic moments in Walt’s descent into chaotic criminality could help caregivers to meet the ‘need for symbols’ in cancer care.

Integration of Spiritual Care in Hospital Care System in Iran.

There is a growing body of evidence on the positive effects of religion and spirituality on recovery from cancer and the ability to cope with it. Most spiritual interventions carried out in Iranian research are based on care and support models that have been developed in the West. With the unique cultural and religious features of the Iranian context, a more refined look at spiritual care in the hospital care system of Iran is called for. This paper examines how to implement the spiritual care of cancer patients in hospitals and oncology wards in Iran. A consensus panel of experts was used to develop guidelines for spiritually integrated care consisting of 18 primary areas, which are described in detail in this report. Health care policy makers and managers of health care in Iran and possibly other areas of the Middle East should consider implementing these guidelines. Using indigenous models and programs specific to the religion and the cultural of a region should be considered when providing spiritual care for cancer patients.

Consequences of Spiritual Care for Cancer Patients and Oncology Nurses: a Qualitative Study

Objective:The nature of cancer increases the spiritual needs of patients and necessitates the provision of holistic care for them. By trying to meet the spiritual needs of patients, oncology nurses can help them adapt, gain inner peace, and develop positive thoughts and attitudes. This study aimed to explore the consequences of spiritual care for cancer patients and oncology nurses from the perspective of the patients, family members, nurses, and other health-care team members.Methods:The present qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis in 2016–2017. The data were collected through semi-structured deep interviews of the 18 participants.Results:The theme extracted from the data was “spiritual growth” and comprised the major categories of “nurse's spiritual development” and “patient's spiritual development.” There were three subcategories in the nurse's spiritual development and 11 subcategories in the patient's spiritual development.Conclusions:Spiritual care places the cancer patient and the oncology nurse on the path to spiritual growth. The achievement of peace by the patient and the nurse was a common consequence of spiritual care. It helps the nurse promote comfort and a sense of peace in the patient and eventually to obtain inner satisfaction. Considering the transcendental effects of spiritual care, a systematic plan should be devised to enhance sensitivity in oncology nurses and encourage them to make spiritual care a component of interventional plans.

The requirements of hospital-based spiritual care for cancer patients.

This paper aimed to discover the requirements of hospital-based spiritual care for cancer patients. This study was a descriptive qualitative-exploratory research, in which 25 participants were selected through purposive sampling and had semi-structured interviews. The data analysis revealed 3 themes and 8 sub-themes including fundamental requirements (changes in the attitudes and behaviors of the healthcare team), structural requirements (inter-professional collaborations, a reference system), and functional requirements (religious-spiritual, pastoral, psycho-spiritual, and supportive-spiritual care). In this study, the received topics have been related to the spiritual care which can help improve patient care. The results were added to the repertoire of knowledge about the spiritual needs of cancer patients. The results indicated that it is essential to get acquainted with the spiritual care requirements in the hospital and enforce them through inter-professional collaboration. Accordingly, the spiritual care program should be designed, implemented, and evaluated.

Spiritual Care of Cancer Patients

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Additional informationNotes on contributorsLori A. McKinleyThe Rev. Lori A. McKinley, MDiv, BCC, is a chaplain at Mercy Health, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Spiritual Care of Cancer Patients by Integrated Medicine in Urban Green Space: A Pilot Study

Psycho-oncological care, including spiritual care, is essential for cancer patients. Integrated medicine, a therapy combining modern western medicine with various kinds of complementary and alternative medicine, can be appropriate for the spiritual care of cancer because of the multidimensional characteristics of the spirituality. In particular, therapies that enable patients to establish a deeper contact with nature, inspire feelings of life and growth of plants, and involve meditation may be useful for spiritual care as well as related aspects such as emotion. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of spiritual care of cancer patients by integrated medicine in a green environment. The present study involved 22 cancer patients. Integrated medicine consisted of forest therapy, horticultural therapy, yoga meditation, and support group therapy, and sessions were conducted once a week for 12 weeks. The spirituality (the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual well-being), quality of life (Short Form-36 Health Survey Questionnaire), fatigue (Cancer Fatigue Scale), psychological state (Profile of Mood States, short form, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and natural killer cell activity were assessed before and after intervention. In Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual well-being, there were significant differences in functional well-being and spiritual well-being pre- and postintervention. This program improved quality of life and reduced cancer-associated fatigue. Furthermore, some aspects of psychological state were improved and natural killer cell activity was increased. It is indicated that integrated medicine performed in a green environment is potentially useful for the emotional and spiritual well-being of cancer patients.

An inquiry into the spiritual care of cancer patients

An inquiry into the spiritual care of cancer patients

Collaboration between nurses and chaplains for spiritual caregiving

To discuss three ambiguities that may accompany nurse-chaplain collaboration in providing spiritual care: confusion about the meaning of "spiritual" and related terms, spiritual assessment and the referral process, and the role of clergy. Review and research articles related to nursing and pastoral care, and documented standards. Effective nurse-chaplain collaboration is necessary (especially considering current health care system changes) to provide adequate spiritual care. Additionally, the increased involvement of both nurses and chaplains in ethical issues is likely to make nurse-chaplain collaboration increasingly important. Nurses must collaborate with chaplains and relate to clergy to provide spiritual care for cancer patients and families. Knowledge of assessment differences between nurses and chaplains, terminology, and role of clergy will enhance this collaboration.