Competence and perceptions of spiritual care among clinical nurses: A multicentre cross-sectional study

AIMS

To identify latent profiles of competence and perceptions of spiritual care among clinical nurses and explore the possible influencing factors.

BACKGROUND

Understanding nurses' level of spiritual care competence and their perceptions and acceptance of such care is important, which could help devise nurse training programmes to address such competence in clinical nurses. However, research addressing interindividual variability in competence and perceptions among Chinese nurses is lacking.

DESIGN

Multicentre cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Nurses working in departments with critically ill patients from 12 community, 5 secondary and 10 tertiary hospitals in Shanghai completed a demographic information questionnaire and the Chinese versions of the Spiritual Care Competence Scale, Spiritual Care-Giving Scale and Spiritual Perspectives Scale. The data were analysed using IBM SPSS v26.0 and Mplus version 8.3. Latent profile analysis identified subgroups with different levels of spiritual care competence.

RESULTS

In total, 1277 Chinese nurses were recruited. Four profiles of competence and perceptions of spiritual care were revealed: Low ability (23.8%), High ability (6.4%), High acceptance (34.9%) and Moderate (34.9%). The level of job position, spiritual care-related education, hospital grade and nurses' perceptions and perspectives of spiritual care predicted the probability of profile memberships in their competence.

CONCLUSIONS

There was heterogeneity in the characteristics of spiritual care competence. Nursing managers can implement individualised interventions, including relevant training, according to the influencing factors of different competence profiles to improve the level of such competence among nurses.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The results provide a new and expanded view of improving nurses' spiritual care competence. Interprofessional collaboration with clinicians, administrators, educators and spiritual leaders can contribute to the development of related education and training.

REPORTING METHOD

EQUATOR guidelines, STROBE checklist: cross-sectional studies.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

All participants were clinical nurses. Participants were informed they could withdraw from the study at any time.

SPACEE Protocol: "Spiritual Care Competence" in PAlliative Care Education and PracticE: Mixed-Methods Research in the Development of Iberian Guidelines

Spiritual care requires understanding the spiritual experiences of patients and recognizing their resources and needs. Therefore, educators and practitioners should develop their knowledge and understanding in this regard. Spiritual care helps people overcome their anxieties, worries, and suffering; reduces stress; promotes healing; and encourages patients to find inner peace. To provide comprehensive and appropriate care while upholding human/ethical virtues, the spiritual dimension must be a priority. We aim to develop spiritual care competence guidelines for Palliative Care (PC) education and practice in Portugal and Spain. The study detailed in this protocol paper will include three phases. In phase I, the phenomenon will be characterized and divided into two tasks: (1) a concept analysis of "spiritual care competence"; and (2) a systematic review of interventions or strategies used to integrate spiritual care in PC education and practice. Phase II will entail a sequential explanatory approach (online survey and qualitative interviews) to deepen understanding of the perceptions and experiences of educators, practitioners, and patients/family carers regarding spiritual care in PC education and practice and generate ideas for the next steps. Phase III will comprise a multi-phased, consensus-based approach to identify priority areas of need as decided by a group of experts. Results will be used to produce guidelines for integrating spirituality and spiritual care competence within PC education and practice and synthesized in a white book for PC professionals. The value of this improved examination of spiritual care competence will ultimately depend on whether it can inform the development and implementation of tailored educational and PC services. The project will promote the 'spiritual care' imperative, helping practitioners and patients/family carers in their preparedness for End-of-Life care, as well as improving curricular practices in this domain.

Competencies of nursing students in the provision of spiritual care and the factors affecting spiritual caregiving

PURPOSE

Nursing care is a holistic practice that contains biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual elements. Spiritual care is also one of the core aspects of a holistic care approach, The provision of optimal spiritual care requires a good understanding of the issue by nurses. The present study determines the competencies of nursing students in spiritual care and the status of spiritual caregiving.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The study has a descriptive, cross-sectional, and qualitative research method of answers to follow-up questions. The study was conducted with 468 nursing students who are 1-4 years in a BSN program in Turkey. Personal information form, semi-structured interview form, Spiritual Caregiving Scale, and Spiritual Care Competence Scale were used for the collection of data.

FINDINGS

The average scores recorded by the participants in the Spiritual Caregiving and Spiritual Care Competence Scales were 145.60 ± 20.63 (the perception of spirituality and spiritual care is moderate-high) and 102.92 ± 15.67 (the competence of the nurse in spiritual care is moderate-high), respectively. It was found that nearly half of the respondent students had never heard of the concept of spiritual care, nor did they have any knowledge of such care, and almost none had undergone training in this subject.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Important to add spiritual care to the nursing curriculum as a separate course or subject, and to raise awareness of students through applied teaching methods.