Living Spiritual Care Praxis

Purpose: Nursing practice standards require a holistic approach to nursing care which is caring for the physical, psychosocial and spiritual components of the patient (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2010). Spirituality is defined as an individual’s search for meaning and purpose in life and death. Caring for a patient’s spiritual needs is a fundamental component of holistic care but it is likely the least comprehended aspect of holistic nursing care (Vachon, Fillion, & Achille, 2009). Even though nurses understand that addressing a patient’s spiritual needs can provide comfort and healing, many nurses report feeling uneasy and unprepared in addressing this component of holistic nursing care. The purpose of this presentation is to describe the Living Spiritual Care Praxis Theory. The Spiritual Care Praxis Theory guides nurses in their development of spiritual care competencies.

Methods: The Living Spiritual Care Praxis Theory is developed from the interviews of 31 holistic registered nurses who meet the holistic needs, mind, body and spirit of their patients. The Living Spiritual Care Praxis Theory is a substantive theory to assist nurses in understanding how to learn to provide spiritual care. Practicing holistic nurses describe how they were able to become competent spiritual care providers in their nursing practice.

Results: The main categories of the Living Spiritual Care Praxis are becoming aware, caring for the spirit, and embodying praxis. These main categories emerge from the voices of the participants. Relational statements and intersection of categories and subcategories support the core category, revealing the basic social process of living spiritual care praxis. Living spiritual care praxis identifies and explains the meaning ascribed by holistic nurses providing spiritual care in their nursing practice.

Conclusion: The theoretical framework developed provides needed information about spiritual care in nursing practice. This theoretical framework can be used to guide nursing education, research, and practice, thereby strengthening the profession's ability to provide holistic care and include spiritual care in nursing practice.