Spiritual need assessment in healthcare settings

Spiritual Need Assessment

Spirituality can for some be one of the most important aspects of health and wellness. By spirituality I do not necessarily mean religious faith, although that is certainly an aspect of spirituality. One definition of spirituality is offered by Stephen Wright a nurse, professor and pastor who said: 'If spirituality means anything, it is about a sense of connection -- with ourselves, each other, work and home and that which is beyond the self' (Philipp, 2006, p. 585)

Spiritual Assessment Tool

To the end of helping me better understand what some of your spiritual needs I am offering you this spiritual assessment tool, just a few questions that might help you think about and voice your spiritual needs. Please answer the questions provided as best you can. There is no right or wrong answer. You can say as much or as little as you like. If any of the questions seem too personal or unrelated to you, you can leave them blank. I would just like to know more about you, your beliefs and your spirituality so I can help support you in any way possible through your experience of illness? I can either ask you the questions and you can express the answers to me and I will write them for you or I can leave you alone with the questionnaire and you can respond at your leisure.

1. What is your personal philosophy of life? (Joint Commission, 2008)

2. Do you like to listen to soothing music when you are experiencing discomfort and what type of music is soothing to you? (Edlin, Golanty & McCormack Brown, 2000, p. 15)

3. Do you meditate or pray when you are experiencing stress and would you like guidance in doing so? (Edlin, Golanty & McCormack Brown, 2000, p. 15)

4. How do you manage to remain hopeful in the face of adversity? (Joint Commission, 2008)

5. How has your illness and hospitalization affected you or your family? (Joint Commission, 2008)

6. Do you attend religious or spiritual services and rely on the insight and fellowship it provides you? (Joint Commission, 2008)

7. If you do is there a name of a particular person or spiritual leader you would like us to contact for you? (Joint Commission, 2008)

Practice Spiritual Assessment Summary and Discussion

Brief Summary

To practice the spiritual assessment tool I created I chose to interview a friend who is currently having health problems but who in the past always seemed resistant or reluctant to communicate personal information. I thought that this might come closer to a real patient/stranger scenario than interviewing someone I knew well. The findings of my assessment were indeed enlightening, as the friend was at first very resistant to completing the assessment, and then after reading the introduction to the assessment she became much more open. The findings indicated that her personal philosophy is based on accepting flaws in others and allowing them to help her in her own interpersonal relationships. The subject also expressed that she did not attend religious services of any kind and self-identifies as agnostic. She also noted that she does not pray or meditate and that when she is upset or uncomfortable she prefers silence and will even wear earplugs at home to help support inner calm and tranquility. She says she remains hopeful on a daily basis with the help and support of family and by finding joy in her young children's joy and pleasure. She also expressed that since she does not attend church there is an old family friend she would like to be contacted and that she would do so by phone as he lives in another state.

Significant Discoveries

The discoveries I made about my friend were enlightening. I already knew she did not attend religious services and that she was agnostic, as this had been information that was the basis for many friendly debates in our social circle. I understood her sense of hope and her ability to find joy in her children's joy and learning. I was however not aware that all of her family was distant in either place or spirit and that she therefore had to rely heavily on her husband's family for support, and this she finds troubling as she does not wish to be a burden and she feels like a bit of an outsider. Her illness also seems to have added stress to the situation because she has had to rely heavily on her husband and his family to care for their young children. I also thought the information about earplugs and silence was extremely critical in the hospital setting and I would make sure that she had plenty of quiet time in my care and even make sure the nurses provided earplugs for her if she is hospitalized.

What Went Well/What I would Change

I had the opportunity to offer the subject this survey in her home, during naptime so situational barriers were limited. I do know that if I were offering this assessment in a clinical setting it would be important to make sure the individual had plenty of time, was alone and was as comfortable as possible.

Barriers

Initially my friend had concerns regarding both the personal nature of "spiritual" questions and her ideation that spirituality would be religious in context and lastly that the experience would involve some sort of judgment. The introduction I wrote to the spiritual assessment, above addressed her concerns and allowed her to respond effectively.