Analysis of Spiritual Care Experiences of Acute-Care Hospital Nurses / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to analyze the experiences of acute care hospital nurses’ on spiritual care with focus group interviews. @*Methods@#Data were collected from 24 nurses recruited from one acute-care hospital in a southern province of Korea. Six focus groups were assembled considering age and religion. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. @*Results@#Five categories with 14 sub-categories emerged 1) ambiguous concept confusing terms, an additional job; 2) assessment of spiritual care needs looking for spiritual care needs, not recognizing spiritual care needs; 3) spiritual care practices active spiritual care, passive spiritual care ; 4) outcomes of spiritual care comfort of the recipient, comfort of the provider; and 5) barriers to spiritual care fear of criticism from others, lack of education, lack of time, space constraints, and absence of a recording system. @*Conclusion@#Participants perceived spiritual care as an uncertain concept. Some participants recognized it as a form of nursing care, and others did not. They practiced spiritual care in acute-care settings according to their personal perceptions of spiritual care. Therefore, in order to perform spiritual nursing in acute-care hospitals, it is a priority for nurses to recognize the concept of spiritual nursing accurately. It is also necessary to prepare a hospital environment suitable for the provision of spiritual care.