Spiritual Needs Assessment
The spiritual needs of patients vary with individuals, the common spiritual needs identify with morality, belonging, hope, meaning, beauty, acceptance of dying and sacred among others. Health care professionals are advised to engage holistic approach in the well being of the patients. There are links among religion, spirituality and issues of health. Spirituality and religion are critical in coping with stress, loss and diseases. Some scholars believe that patients learn with time in understanding and on coping with sufferings through spiritual dimension and spiritual beliefs of lives.
Surveys have indicated that spiritual need assessments take a number of shapes depending on domains and content; an indication that some people are at a greater risk than others depending on diverse variables. Spiritual distress is directly proportional to cultural affiliation of the individuals (Cunningham, 2008). Spirituality is complex and highly depends on values and beliefs, which connects to purpose and the meaning. The age of the patients is also connected the levels of the spiritual needs in measurements and assessments.
Spirituality in patients is considered vital and medical practitioners are encouraged to routinely assess and screen patients, this is offered to the palliative care patients and also to the patients suffering from specific needs such as neurological, mental or cognitive impairment among others (Cunningham, 2008). The knowledge gap associated spiritual needs is managed through disease trajectory and family caregivers play a critical role in the health care processes.
Nurses are encouraged to be confident in implementing and assessing spiritual care, which is facilitated by effective communication and active listening. Meeting the spiritual needs of the patients is critical; the challenge is realized after the nurses are unable to comprehensively understand the modalities of delivering spiritual needs. Spirituality and religion are intertwined in bringing out the meaning attached to the illnesses. Spiritual needs depends on the individual patients and in addressing the issue, there are different clinical situations developed in spiritual care and assessments (Cunningham, 2008).
Surveys have indicated that including spiritual care in the training of nurses facilitate the confidence of the nurses, which in return result to the satisfaction and well being of the patients. It is argued that good and effective spiritual care benefits both the caregivers and the patients. The majority of the nurses have beliefs that spirituality should be included in the training of nurses (Cunningham, 2008). The main challenge is mixing the content of the spiritual needs and the personal views on the parts of the trainers. Spirituality cannot be learnt from classroom and books only, but also through understanding and knowledge connected to the personal experience in the life of duty. Spirituality fosters hope, purpose and meaning to life on the part of the patient.
Nurses are encouraged to reflect on emotional, psychological, cultural, social and spiritual aspects in the delivery of health care, this is critical in enabling the patients comprehend the meanings attached to the different experiences. Spiritual needs of patients are more important than the physical needs depending on the context, although challenged by time constraints, differences in beliefs between the patients and the caregivers, excessive workloads, inadequate experience and confidence on the part of the caregivers, lack of privacy and lack of continuity in the health care (Cunningham, 2008).
Meeting the spiritual needs of patients require compassionate presence, where rapport is critical in the delivery of health care. Some nurses out of self conscious deliver excellent health care to the patients attached to spiritual needs, regulated by effective communication, active listing to the patients and in offering continuing care. Managing the attitudes of the patients is critical in making sure that the patients and their family members feel reassured and secure (Cunningham, 2008). Spiritual care does not influence spiritual practices, religion and beliefs attached to the patients; but facilitate patients with opportunities where patients can express their needs and values, which is influential in the effective management of illnesses.
Caregivers are encouraged to have tolerance and an open mind in dealing with patients and the views of other stakeholders. Patients in most cases rarely disclose innate spiritual beliefs, researchers argues that caregivers should approach the issue with sensitivity to avoid hurting the patients (Cunningham, 2008). Caregivers are encouraged to have an understanding of the spiritual needs of the patients and in making sure that the preferences are observed in making sure that respectful care is accorded to the patients. Patients at times show diverse wishes, caregivers are encouraged in respecting the diverse wishes of the patients. Taking an example of Jehovah witness follower, such patients are against blood transfusions.
Nurses in any way should neither prescribe nor discourage spiritual or religious practices and beliefs; in so doing patients feel respected by the health care providers. It has been noted that nurses themselves must understand their personalized spirituality in order to manage the spirituality of the patients. Nurses are encouraged to show genuinely and integrity in understanding the needs of the patients; spiritual care offered by the health care professionals has the goal of creating contentment, peace and purpose in life among the patients. The changes experienced by the patients may change the belief systems and state of mind on the part of the patient.
References
Cunningham, A. (2008). The healing journey: incorporating psychological and spiritual dimensions into the care of cancer patients. Current Oncology , S17-S91.
