Spirituality is a universal human phenomenon, yet confusion and incomprehension of the concept is ever-present. The purpose of this study was to explore how research on the concept of spirituality has been reported in the health literature in the past decade and develop an ontological and theoretical understanding of spirituality. The examination was based on quantitative and qualitative integrative review approaches, which integrated empirical research on spirituality. The sample included 73 spirituality research articles, which were published in English between January 1990 and September 2000. An electronic data-collection tool was designed for use in this project and formatted using Excel software for transfer of coded data into the NVivo software for the data analysis. The results identified essential elements of spirituality, current use of operational definitions and instruments, conceptual frameworks used in spirituality research, and cultural aspects of spirituality. Historical comparison among decades and barriers in researching spirituality are discussed.
The purpose of this study was to examine the concept of health for the Sto:lo Coast Salish of the Pacific Northwest and describe their ways of being healthy within their specific context, considering the climate, the resources of their natural environment, and their spiritual heritage. This study, using a grounded theory approach, focused on the meaning of health for the Sto:lo. A sample of 18 participants and two cultural experts, using the constant comparison method and dimensional analysis, yielded three themes. Health as "balance," spirituality as "it's an ongoing thing," and transitions as "those times of change" were the resulting themes. Nurses, who take the themes into account when providing care, will be more culturally competent.
The purpose of this study was to examine the interrelationship of health, illness, and spirituality for Punjabi Sikh living in Canada. A grounded theory study with a convenience sample and use of snowballing technique provided a sample of 15 participants ranging in age from 20 to 70 years. Constant comparative method with dimensional analysis was used to analyze the data beginning with the first interview. The themes of being healthy and looking for the spiritual are described. Looking for the spiritual results in the person becoming spiritually strong and therefore being healthier, recovering from illness, or having the ability to feel comfortable when near death. Nurses who understand the interplay of spirituality and health can support Punjabi Sikh in their food requirements, prayers, and feelings of hope and anguish during illness or life transitions.
The purpose of this article is to present a model for the spiritual nursing care of patients experiencing suffering. Meaningless suffering can lead to spiritual disintegration. However, the finding of transcendent meaning in the suffering experience can be a profound attenuator of how the suffering is experienced. This model outlines five categories for a comprehensive spiritual assessment: (a) authority and guidance, (b) experience and emotions, (c) community, (d) rituals and practices, and (e) vocation and consequences. For each of the five categories, interventions are identified that could strengthen transcendent meaning in the suffering.
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