scholarly journals Addressing spiritual needs in palliative care: proposal for a narrative and interfaith spiritual care intervention for chaplaincy

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Iris R. Wierstra ◽  
Anke I. Liefbroer ◽  
Lenneke Post ◽  
Thijs Tromp ◽  
Jacques Körver
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Care Intervention

Spiritual care intervention

2015 ◽  
pp. 546-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rev. Pamela Baird
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Bearing Witness ◽  
Existential Suffering ◽  
Care Intervention ◽  
Deep Listening

Recognizing and addressing patients’ spiritual needs is fundamental to palliative care. Spiritual care addresses issues of religion, existential suffering and humanity. Nurses provide spiritual care through deep listening, presence, bearing witness, and compassion.

scholarly journals Multidisciplinary Training on Spiritual Care for Patients in Palliative Care Trajectories Improves the Attitudes and Competencies of Hospital Medical Staff: Results of a Quasi-Experimental Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joep van de Geer ◽  
Nic Veeger ◽  
Marieke Groot ◽  
Hetty Zock ◽  
Carlo Leget ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Multicenter Trial ◽  
Teaching Hospitals ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Objectives: Patients value health-care professionals’ attention to their spiritual needs. However, this is undervalued in health-care professionals’ education. Additional training is essential for implementation of a national multidisciplinary guideline on spiritual care (SC) in palliative care (PC). Aim of this study is to measure effects of a training program on SC in PC based on the guideline. Methods: A pragmatic multicenter trial using a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design as part of an action research study. Eight multidisciplinary teams in regular wards and 1 team of PC consultants, in 8 Dutch teaching hospitals, received questionnaires before training about perceived barriers for SC, spiritual attitudes and involvement, and SC competencies. The effect on the barriers on SC and SC competencies were measured both 1 and 6 months after the training. Results: For nurses (n = 214), 7 of 8 barriers to SC were decreased after 1 month, but only 2 were still after 6 months. For physicians (n = 41), the training had no effect on the barriers to SC. Nurses improved in 4 of 6 competencies after both 1 and 6 months. Physicians improved in 3 of 6 competencies after 1 month but in only 1 competency after 6 months. Significance of Results: Concise SC training programs for clinical teams can effect quality of care, by improving hospital staff competencies and decreasing the barriers they perceive. Differences in the effects of the SC training on nurses and physicians show the need for further research on physicians’ educational needs on SC.

scholarly journals Staff Perceptions of How Music Therapy Can Support Palliative Care Patients in a New Zealand / Aotearoa Hospice, with a Particular Focus on Spiritual Care

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keryn Squires
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Team Work ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Dying Patients ◽  
Over Time

<p>The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of staff from a hospice, in New Zealand / Aotearoa, regarding the use of music therapy in the care of dying patients. The study has a particular focus on spiritual aspects of palliative care in music therapy, as spirituality is an inherent aspect of the work done by caregivers in palliative care. Hospice staff were asked to reflect on what they knew and understood of music therapy before, and after, a music therapy student arrived at the hospice, and their narratives were explored to uncover the links between patients, music and spirituality. The aim of this was to identify what might be needed to increase knowledge, to improve referral processes, and to increase opportunities for collaborative team work. A cross-section of staff, i.e. two nurses, one doctor, an occupational therapist, and a counsellor, who were part of the palliative care team, were recruited to participate in two semi-structured interviews to discuss their perceptions of the potential for music therapy to support the spiritual needs of hospice patients. A qualitative approach was employed and narrative analysis was used to interpret the interviews. Narrative research emphasises the language of human understanding and in this research it involved gathering participants' 'stories' of their evolving perceptions over time. Findings suggest the language used to describe spiritual care in music therapy was different for each participant although common meanings were drawn from the participants' stories. Commonalities included: music therapy in the hospice was valued by the participants; some participants would like more knowledge to make an informed referral. In addition, staff understanding appeared to have increased over time partly due to educational seminars, sharing at team meetings, actual exposure to music therapy, informal conversations with staff, and participants' growing knowledge of music therapy through their own personal process of learning.</p>

Spiritual Screening, History, and Assessment

2019 ◽  
pp. 432-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Johnston Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
History Taking ◽  
Spiritual Assessment ◽  
Spiritual Well Being ◽  
Spiritual Screening ◽  
Screening History

Spiritual care is integral to palliative care. Palliative care patients and their family members often use spiritual coping strategies, and spiritual well-being is a commonly high-ranked pursuit for those at the end of life. Appropriate spiritual care, however, must reflect the spiritual needs and preferences of the care recipient. Thus, numerous approaches to spiritual screening, history-taking, and assessment exist. Whereas the spiritual screening is proposed as a skill and expectation that nurses and others can be trained to complete, the spiritual assessment is the domain of the spiritual care expert—typically, a skilled chaplain. These diverse approaches are described here along with some additional observations that can guide the process.

The Fifth Domain of Palliative Care

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Alessandra Strada
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Interdisciplinary Collaboration ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Spiritual Assessment ◽  
Palliative Care Setting ◽  
The Family ◽  
Spiritual Screening ◽  
Spiritual History

This chapter presents palliative psychology competencies in the fifth domain of palliative care, which addresses the existential and spiritual needs of the patient and the family. The constructs of spiritual screening, spiritual history, and spiritual assessment are discussed with attention to their application to the palliative care setting. Through clinical case vignettes and discussions, the chapter discusses how psychologists can effectively use spiritual screening and spiritual history to fully understand spiritual and existential needs. Ways of integrating spiritual concerns and needs during the therapy session are highlighted in this chapter. The interplay of psychological and spiritual concerns offers the opportunity for palliative psychologists and spiritual care providers to collaborate in the psychospiritual care of the patient and the family. Because interdisciplinary collaboration is a hallmark of palliative care, the chapter also describes examples of effective collaboration between psychologists and spiritual care providers, from assessment to treatment planning.

scholarly journals Staff Perceptions of How Music Therapy Can Support Palliative Care Patients in a New Zealand / Aotearoa Hospice, with a Particular Focus on Spiritual Care

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keryn Squires
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Team Work ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Dying Patients ◽  
Over Time

<p>The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of staff from a hospice, in New Zealand / Aotearoa, regarding the use of music therapy in the care of dying patients. The study has a particular focus on spiritual aspects of palliative care in music therapy, as spirituality is an inherent aspect of the work done by caregivers in palliative care. Hospice staff were asked to reflect on what they knew and understood of music therapy before, and after, a music therapy student arrived at the hospice, and their narratives were explored to uncover the links between patients, music and spirituality. The aim of this was to identify what might be needed to increase knowledge, to improve referral processes, and to increase opportunities for collaborative team work. A cross-section of staff, i.e. two nurses, one doctor, an occupational therapist, and a counsellor, who were part of the palliative care team, were recruited to participate in two semi-structured interviews to discuss their perceptions of the potential for music therapy to support the spiritual needs of hospice patients. A qualitative approach was employed and narrative analysis was used to interpret the interviews. Narrative research emphasises the language of human understanding and in this research it involved gathering participants' 'stories' of their evolving perceptions over time. Findings suggest the language used to describe spiritual care in music therapy was different for each participant although common meanings were drawn from the participants' stories. Commonalities included: music therapy in the hospice was valued by the participants; some participants would like more knowledge to make an informed referral. In addition, staff understanding appeared to have increased over time partly due to educational seminars, sharing at team meetings, actual exposure to music therapy, informal conversations with staff, and participants' growing knowledge of music therapy through their own personal process of learning.</p>

scholarly journals Training hospital staff on spiritual care in palliative care influences patient-reported outcomes: Results of a quasi-experimental study

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 743-753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joep van de Geer ◽  
Marieke Groot ◽  
Richtsje Andela ◽  
Carlo Leget ◽  
Jelle Prins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Patient Reported Outcomes ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Spiritual Distress ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Care Training

Background: Spiritual care is reported to be important to palliative patients. There is an increasing need for education in spiritual care. Aim: To measure the effects of a specific spiritual care training on patients’ reports of their perceived care and treatment. Design: A pragmatic controlled trial conducted between February 2014 and March 2015. Setting/participants: The intervention was a specific spiritual care training implemented by healthcare chaplains to eight multidisciplinary teams in six hospitals on regular wards in which patients resided in both curative and palliative trajectories. In total, 85 patients were included based on the Dutch translation of the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool. Data were collected in the intervention and control wards pre- and post-training using questionnaires on physical symptoms, spiritual distress, involvement and attitudes (Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List) and on the perceived focus of healthcare professionals on patients’ spiritual needs. Results: All 85 patients had high scores on spiritual themes and involvement. Patients reported that attention to their spiritual needs was very important. We found a significant ( p = 0.008) effect on healthcare professionals’ attention to patients’ spiritual and existential needs and a significant ( p = 0.020) effect in favour of patients’ sleep. No effect on the spiritual distress of patients or their proxies was found. Conclusion: The effects of spiritual care training can be measured using patient-reported outcomes and seemed to indicate a positive effect on the quality of care. Future research should focus on optimizing the spiritual care training to identify the most effective elements and developing strategies to ensure long-term positive effects. This study was registered at the Dutch Trial Register: NTR4559.

scholarly journals Existential Dimension and Spiritual Assistance in the “A. Gemelli” University Hospital in Rome: A Cross-Disciplinary and Sacramental Enhanced Dynamical Approach in Palliative Care

Religions ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Alessandro Mantini ◽  
Maria Adelaide Ricciotti ◽  
Eleonora Meloni ◽  
Anita Maria Tummolo ◽  
Sabrina Dispenza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Health Personnel ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Palliative Care Teams ◽  
Level Of Training ◽  
Existential Dimension

In the A. Gemelli university hospital in Rome, the presence of highly specialized inter-professional palliative care teams and spiritual assistants who are dedicated to their role in the service of inpatients is valuable to person-centered healthcare. Spiritual needs are commonly experienced by patients with sudden illness, chronic conditions, and life-limiting conditions, and, consequently, spiritual care is an intrinsic and essential component of palliative care. This paper focuses on the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to demonstrate the importance of spiritual care as an integral part of palliative care and highlights the need for all interdisciplinary team members to address spiritual issues in order to improve the holistic assistance to the patient. Over a 3-year period (October 2018–September 2021), data about the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick administered by the hospitaller chaplaincy were collected. A total of 1541 anointings were administered, with an average of 514 anointings per year, excluding reductions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 98% of cases, the sacrament was requested by health personnel, and in 96% of cases, the same health personnel participated in the sacrament. These results demonstrate that, at the A. Gemelli polyclinic in Rome, the level of training that the care team has received in collaboration with the chaplains has generated a good generalized awareness of the importance of integrating the spiritual needs of patients and their families into their care, considering salvation as well as health, in a model of dynamic interprofessional integration.

What are the core elements of oncology spiritual care programs?

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shane Sinclair ◽  
Marlene Mysak ◽  
Neil A. Hagen
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Factors Affecting

AbstractObjective:Tending to the spiritual needs of patients has begun to be formally recognized by professional spiritual care providers, health care councils, and health delivery systems over the last 30 years. Recognition of these programs has coincided with evidence-based research on the effect of spirituality on health. Palliative care has served as a forerunner to an integrated professional spiritual care approach, recognizing the importance of addressing the spiritual needs of the dying from its inauguration within Western medicine almost 50 years ago. Oncology programs have also begun to recognize the importance of spirituality to patients along the cancer continuum, especially those who are approaching the end of life. Although standards and best practice guidelines have been established and incorporated into practice, little is known about the actual factors affecting the practice of spiritual care programs or professional chaplains working within an oncology setting.Methods:Participant observation and interactive interviews occurred at five cancer programs after we conducted a literature search.Results:This study identified underlying organizational challenges, cultural and professional issues, academic program development challenges, administrative duties, and therapeutic interventions that determined the success of oncology spiritual care programs in practice.Significance of results:Although spiritual care services have developed as a profession and become recognized as a service within oncology and palliative care, organizational and operational issues were underrecognized yet significant factors in the success of oncology spiritual care programs. Spiritual care programs that were centrally located within the cancer care center, reported and provided guidance to senior leaders, reflected a multifaith approach, and had an academic role were better resourced, utilized more frequently, and seen to be integral members of an interdisciplinary care team than those services who did not reflect these characteristics.

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