Spirituality in nursing care

Nursing

Please describe if the theory in this article is applicable to you and interpersonal relationships between you and your patients? (Please focus on how spirituality nursing relate to quality patient care)

The theory in the paper is based on the AACN Synergy Model for patient care which represents a rather comprehensive model for treating patients. The Synergy Model allows nurses to screen for a complex array of different health factors that could include personal factors such as outlined in the case. The patient in the case was having poor health outcomes because she couldn't afford her medications or to eat nutritious foods. The patient did not want to provide this information but the nurse was able to correctly identify the real issues involved.

The nurse was able to create a well-developed treatment program that was comprehensive and specifically tailored to the patient's needs. The treatment was outlined in terms of the Synergy Model and includes these factors:

Figure 1 - Synergy Model Treatment (Hardin & Hussey, 2003)

2. How you experienced spirituality or found meaning and purpose through the work you performed as a nurse, such as through their nurse-patient relationships and the caring moments during patient care.

"Spirituality is about: hope and strength, trust, meaning and purpose, forgiveness, people's values, love and relationships, morality and creativity and self-expression."

I think that the practice of spiritual care is about meeting people at the point of deepest need, such as spending time with the patient, holding hands, and talking about what is important to the patient. One day, I met gay patient who admitted for severe pain. I took care of him three times. First day, he did not talk with me, but I visited his room every thirty minutes, assisted in whatever I could to help, I held his hands and fed him food... The second day, he stated to talk to me and last day he said that his whole life was too sad. I listen to his story and told him my story too. Before he discharged, he told me that "your encouraging words revived my drooping spirits, thanks." I was so happy and felt like it was a spiritual victory.

3. What is the meaning and purpose the spirituality in the work enviroment of staffe nurses, and if so, how?

To better perform their duties, it helps if nurses develop a caring attitude and disposition, recognizing and responding appropriately to people's needs. It is important that they give patients individual time to listen and attend to individual and specific needs. It is also necessary to be aware of when it is appropriate to refer to another source of support e.g. chaplain, counsellor, and other staff member, family or friend. It is through a sense of care and empathy that nurses can often find information that is critical to treatment that they could not otherwise find.

4. What are the barriers/benefits of supporing nurse's spirituality?

The benefits to spirituality are that this can help nurses to care and can help to guide thought and decisions when nurses care for patient. However, nurses are pressed for time to work when they are working, so they do not have enough time and opportunity to discuss and their own spirituality or foster it in a professional environment. Much of the role of spirituality is overshadowed in modern practice and limited attention is given to how spirituality is implemented in practice (Connell, 2012).