Paper
Sunday, November 13, 2005
This presentation is part of : Health Promotion Techniques
Providing Spiritual Care - An Element of Health Promotion
Peggy S. Matteson, PhD, RN, Nursing, Salve Regina University, Newport, RI, USA
Learning Objective #1: Define spiritual care within nursing practice
Learning Objective #2: State two interventions for spiritual care that promote health and wholeness even though disease may still be present

This presentation will explore how to provide spiritual care within a nursing practice focused on health promotion and/or disease management. Human beings are multifaceted individuals affected by many internal and external processes. As nurses we embrace the dynamic nature of a patient and integrate the care of body, mind and spirit to enhance their sense of wholeness, health, and well being, even when the curing of disease may not occur. When approached from a framework of spiritual beliefs and practices, activities of health promotion often achieve greater relevance to patients and are more readily integrated into practices of daily living. To be most effective nurses must recognize and respond in a holistic manner to the multidimensional challenge of each patient by addressing care of their spirit.