Interdisciplinary Spiritual Care for Seriously Ill and Dying Patients

Abstract

Spirituality is essential to healthcare. It is that part of human beings that seeks meaning and purpose in life. Spirituality in the clinical setting can be manifested as spiritual distress or as resources of strength. Patients' spiritual beliefs can impact diagnosis and treatment. Spiritual care involves an intrinsic aspect of care, which underlies compassionate and altruistic caregiving and is an important element of professionalism amongst the various healthcare professionals. It also involves an extrinsic element, which includes spiritual history, assessment of spiritual issues, as well as resources of strength and incorporation of patients' spiritual beliefs and practices into the treatment or care plan. Spiritual care is interdisciplinary care-each member of the interdisciplinary team has responsibilities to provide spiritual care. The chaplain is the trained spiritual care expert on the team. Optimally, all healthcare professionals, including the chaplain, on the team interact with each other to develop and implement the spiritual care plan for the patient in a fully collaborative model.

An Exploratory Study of Spiritual Care at the End of Life

“…20,25 In our conceptual framework, being present is congruent with the perspective of Puchalski and colleagues, 26 who describe compassionate presence as a quality of spiritual care. Presence, according to this latter viewpoint, incorporates an intention to openness, to connection with others, and to comfort with uncertainty.…”

“…Presence, according to this latter viewpoint, incorporates an intention to openness, to connection with others, and to comfort with uncertainty. 26 Being present and sharing personal beliefs and experiences, or "sharing the self," were also major themes of spiritual care in a survey study of oncology nurses. 27 Another qualitative study of spiritual care stakeholders noted that "being there," or empathizing, valuing, and listening and loving, were related process themes.…”

Interdisciplinary palliative care teams : insights and experiences of chaplain interns and social work interns.

“…When chaplains provided empathetic listening, patient trust and rapport were enhanced, which led to better care and more helpful coping (Handzo et al, 2008). Unlike members of the team, the chaplain does not try to cure disease, but serves as a witness to suffering and mirrors unconditional love to the patient (Puchalski, Lunsford, Harris, & Miller, 2006).…”

“…Social workers also manage complex patient-family issues, such as substance abuse, legal problems, and family concerns, which can have an impact on the interdisciplinary palliative care team (Klarare et al, 2013). Bornstein Puchalski, Lunsford, Harris, and Miller (2006) suggested the flexibility, openness, and the compassionate presence of trained social workers who conduct psychosocial assessments to be well suited to listen to the patient's deeper spiritual issues.…”

“…Often chaplain interns described providing presence to the patient, and in doing so, served as a witness to suffering and a mirror of unconditional love to the patient (Puchalski, Lunsford, Harris, & Miller, 2006). Additionally, chaplain interns observed and supported the families whose loved ones received compassionate extubation.…”