Undergraduate Nursing Students' Spirituality and Perceived Ability to Provide Spiritual Care: A Mixed-Method Study.

Study purpose: This study's purpose was to explore nursing students' spirituality and perceived ability to provide spiritual care. Design and methods: A convergent mixed method, cross-sectional design was used. A convenience sample included traditional nursing students in their second quarter (n = 53) and final quarter (n = 43) attending a faith-based university and accelerated final quarter nursing students (n = 45) attending a private secular university from two accredited nursing programs. Quantitative data were analyzed using a pairwise Spearman rank correlation and multivariate analysis of variance. Open-ended questions were analyzed using content analysis. Results: Quantitatively, as a student's spirituality increases, their perceived ability to provide spiritual care decreases. Qualitative findings revealed three categories: guidance to recognize spiritual needs, empathy and openness, and intertwined with religion. Conclusion: Quantitatively, nursing students reported their spirituality did not influence their perceived ability to provide spiritual care. Yet, qualitatively, students reported their spirituality assisted in their ability to provide spiritual care. However, students were unable to differentiate between spirituality and religion. Colleges of nursing need to ensure students learn the art of holistic nursing, which includes spirituality and religion along with opportunities to apply and reflect on their spirituality and perceived ability to provide spiritual care.

A willingness to go there: Nurses and spiritual care.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe rural and urban palliative/hospice care nurses' communication strategies while providing spiritual care for patients and families at end of life. BACKGROUND: Nurses aim to provide holistic care consisting of physical, psychological and spiritual components. However, it is well documented that spiritual care is largely missing from nursing care. Internationally, spiritual care is a growing topic of interest, yet many nurses feel unprepared to deliver spiritual care. DESIGN: This qualitative study used Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis method. METHODS: As part of a larger multimethod study, this study shares the narrative descriptions from 10 experienced palliative/hospice care nurses. Individual, face-to-face interviews were conducted and lasted 45-60 minutes. Each interview started with the same lead-in questions, was audio-recorded and was transcribed verbatim. The research team used an inductive analysis approach and met several times reviewing and analysing the detected themes until reaching consensus. RESULTS: The primary theme, sentience includes the capacity to act, a willingness to enter into the unknown and the ability to have deep meaningful conversations with patients regardless of the path it may yield. Subthemes include: (i) Willingness to Go There, (ii) Being in "A" Moment and (iii) Sagacious Insight. CONCLUSION: Nurses are integral in the provision of spiritual care for patients/families across the lifespan and at end of life. Nurses must feel confident and competent before they are willing to enter uncomfortable spaces with patients/families. Nursing curriculum must include purposeful engagement and focused debriefing in spiritual assessment and care. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: There is a dire need to prepare undergraduate and graduate students to assess and support a patient's spiritual needs. Addressing spiritual care content as a clinical and educational priority will promote a patient-centred approach for spiritual care and can further shape nursing curricula, policies, guidelines and assessment tools.