Addressing Spiritual Needs - Essay Example

Abstract The essay aims to address a two-fold objective to wit: (1) to discuss professional guidelines among health care providers using the required readings or articles; and (2) to develop and apply a personal spiritual needs assessment tool when conducting spiritual assessment. Introduction Addressing spiritual needs is one of the essential roles of the health care providers in delivering a holistic care. Spiritual needs vary among patients of all ages or race, as well as nurses, as ones spiritual beliefs, values, and practices may not be in congruence with one another. Thus, conducting a spiritual assessment would help the nurse develop self-awareness and competency in terms of spiritual assessment. In addition, conducting a spiritual assessment tool would aid the nurse in developing a therapeutic relationship with patients and in rendering patient-centered, holistic nursing care. Some theorist stated that spiritual assessment depends upon individual’s stage of development or age. However, Daniels (2004) stated that in developing a spiritual assessment tool, the four elements of spirituality such as transcendence, connection, balance, and purpose must be present (p. 1504). Using the four elements, a nurse could adapt a standardized spiritual assessment tool to systematically collect data or design a personalized spiritual assessment tool in order to fit the needs of patient from different age groups or cultural background. In this paper, the author will discuss professional guidelines among health care providers and will develop and apply a personal spiritual needs assessment tool when conducting spiritual assessment. Spiritual Needs Assessment Tool Professional Guidelines. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has implemented several guidelines for creating spiritual assessment tools for evaluating the spiritual needs of patients. Health care providers and institutions also adapt guidelines congruent to the patient’s needs, cultural diversity, and age groups. According to the guidelines of the JCAHO, organizations are required to include spiritual assessment in the overall care of patients while the specific content of spiritual needs assessment depends upon the organization (p. 6). Regardless of organizational variances, JCAHO implements the basic policy of the scope of spiritual assessment and dictates who are qualified and competent in a spiritual assessment. Physicians, therapists, nurses, and clinical pastoral staff with trainings on spiritual assessment are among the qualified spiritual assessors. Patient suffering from spiritual distress or people with inability to fulfill basic human needs for love, hope, purpose, and connection with others or has conflicting situation between individuals’ core beliefs and personal experience are in utmost need of a comprehensive spiritual assessment (Skalla & McCoy, 2006, 745). These include children, perioperative patients, and cancer patients. Meanwhile, it is also essential to explore physical therapists’ perception of spirituality to patient care as ones knowledge in taking spiritual history and managing personal issues facilitates complete, patient- and problem-centered spiritual evaluation (Oakley et al., 2010, 48). In designing a spiritual assessment tool for children, Mueller (2010) recommends assessment of expression of hope, meaning, or purpose in life, interactions with spiritual leaders, friends, or family, verbalization of feelings from support system, expression of creativity and interest in nature, ability to pray or participate in religious activities, and expression of feelings toward God or suffering (p. 200). In addition, Mueller also included the SPIRITual interview and F-I-C-A assessment tool in conducting spiritual assessment among children and across the life span. Meanwhile, Griffin & Yancey (2009) identify transitional factors, physical environment factors, and interpersonal environment factors as the elements that challenge spiritual wellness among perioperative or surgical patients (p. 879). Authors stated that paying close attention to patient’s transitional experiences and experience of supportive and healing physical and interpersonal environments will facilitate spiritual wellness among surgical patients. On the other hand, spiritual assessment among cancer patients is a delicate task as it requires sensitivity and assistance. Skalla & McCoy (2006) designed the five dimensional model for assessment of spirituality or the Moral Authority, Vocational, Aesthetic, Social, and Transcendent (Mor-VAST) Model to aid clinicians in conducting spiritual assessment on each dimension. Self-structured Spiritual Assessment Tool. To ensure a holistic, patient-centered, and sensitive spiritual needs assessment, the author developed a five-question tool based on the Mor-VAST Model. The five spiritual needs assessment questions are: (1) What guides you in making health care/treatment-related decisions and how do you discern the rightfulness of the decision? (2) How do you define a meaningful life? (3) What makes you happy, satisfied, or at peace? (4) From which spiritual community groups are you affiliated and how does it help you in dealing with health issues? (5) What made you cope during difficult times and how does your relationship with God help you get through the daily health care experience? Application: Spiritual Assessment The author recalled a personal spiritual experience from which the self-structured spiritual assessment tool has been applied. The author was caring for a cancer patient at that time and asked the five questions stated earlier. The patient is a religious person who always pray and ask for God’s guidance in making decisions. As a Roman Catholic, patient stated that decisions in accordance with God’s teachings and 10 commandments are right. Patient defined a meaningful life as the life offered in the hands of God through serving other people and developing strong spiritual commitment to God. Although impossible, the thought that the patient could be cured from cancer brought him happiness; however, the patient has accepted his illness as part of God’s plan and could rest in peace if death may eventually come. The patient is an active member of Couples for Christ but when he was admitted, members of the group usually come to provide spiritual counseling and support. Believing that God is in control of everything, patient’s belief of God’s will and purpose and the support of his family members have helped him cope during difficult times and sustain daily health care experience. Upon interview, the author discovered that the patient has significantly strong affiliation to God and spiritual being. Patient also valued participation in a religious group as source of comfort and social support. In addition, the author discovered that prayers reduced patient’s stress and offer hope of cure from cancer although it seemed impossible. Analysis also revealed that patient’s spirituality helped him to be at peace with the current illness, with family being mentioned as source of strength and motivation. Patient viewed regular attendance to spiritual group’s activities as necessary as he still participate in activities inside the hospital settings. It must be sad for an individual to face death but the patient views diagnosis of cancer as part of God’s will. Patient has no signs of depression and still continues to receive palliative care. Throughout the conversation, one could see patient’s healthy and strong relationship with God as evidence of making spirituality as a guiding force in life. All went well in patient’s spiritual assessment process. If the author could do differently in the future, it could be the application of other spiritual assessment guidelines like F-I-C-A assessment tool and SPIRITual interview tool or assessing other age groups such as children and elderly. One of the barriers or challenges that inhibited author’s ability to complete the assessment tool was lack of formal training. In the future, the author would like to undergo a clinical training for pastoral care provider in order to address this barrier. References Daniels, R. (2004). Spiritual Health. Nursing Fundamentals: Caring & Clinical Decision Making (p. 1502-1508). New York: Delmar Learning. Griffin, A.T. & Yancey, V. (2009). Spiritual dimensions of the perioperative experience. Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses, 89(5): pp. 875-882. Retrieved on June 10, 2012 from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/200738553?accountid=7374 Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). (2005). Evaluating your spiritual assessment process. Joint Commission: The Source, 3(2): pp. 6-7. Retrieved on June 10, 2012 from http://www.professionalchaplains.org/uploadedFiles/pdf/JCAHO-evaluating-your-spiritual-assessment-process.pdf. Mueller, C.R. (2010). Spirituality in children: understanding and developing interventions. Pediatric Nursing, 36(4): pp. 197-208. Retrieved on June 10, 2012 from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=2010754276&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Oakley, E.T. et al. (2010). Physical therapists’ perception of spirituality and patient care: beliefs, practices, and perceived barriers. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 24(2): pp. 45-52. Retrieved on June 10, 2012 from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/854339040?accountid=7374 Skalla, K.A. & McCoy, J.P. (2006). Spiritual assessment of patients with cancer: the moral authority, vocational, aesthetic, social, and transcendent model. Oncology Nursing Forum, 33(4): pp. 745-751. 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