Using the Synergy Model to Provide Spiritual Nursing Care in Critical Care Settings

Creating conditions for good nursing by attending to the spiritual

“…The importance of having sufficient time for the development of a good nurse-patient relationship was identified both in good nursing research and spiritual care research (van Leeuwen et al 2006, Smith 2006, Christiansen 2008, Rafii et al 2008, Gallagher et al 2009, de Araujo Sartorio & Zoboli 2010, Chan 2010, Dawood & Gallini 2010. Consistent across cultures researched is the concern that there was insufficient time to provide nursing care at the level desired (Hsu et al 2008) by both patients and nurses.…”

“…To further understand nursesÕ propensity to provide quality spiritual care, researchers have begun to explore the relationship between a nurseÕs personal spirituality and their provision of spiritual care. A number of studies noted that nurses with a greater sense of their own spirituality were more likely to provide spiritual care (Narayanasamy & Owens 2001, Kociszewski 2003, Cavendish et al 2004, van Leeuwen et al 2006, Smith 2006, Bush & Bruni 2008, Yang & Wu 2009, Chan 2010, Lundberg & Kerdonfag 2010, Hensel 2011). In addition, van Leeuwen et al (2006 found that older nurses were more likely to provide spiritual care.…”

“…A recent trend in both the academic world and in the world in general, is a heightened interest in spirituality and how it relates to health (Hufford et al 2010). Nursing research on spiritual care reflects this growing interest as the number of published articles has increased significantly over the past 15 years (Smith 2006) and there is ongoing debate on the understanding of spiritual care and spirituality.…”

Spiritual care in nursing: a concept analysis

“…Moreover, spiritual care encourages the hoping abilities of patient (Mayer 1992); gives real meaning to their lives (Mok et al 2010); results in transcending beyond physical boundaries (Martsolf & Mickley 1998); fosters harmony and relationship with self, God and others (McEwen 2005); helps patients find meaning in the illness experience -a meaning that is congruent with the real meaning of life (Kelly 2002); strengthens confidence and belief in the supreme being (Soeken & Carson 1987); helps re-ordering of life priorities (Mok et al 2010); and promotes the development of meaningful purposeful behaviours (Mayer 1992). Consequently, it stimulates patients' spiritual growth (Smith 2006) and promotes their spiritual well-being (McEwen 2005). Another consequence of spiritual care is psychological adaptation (Mauk & Schmidt 2004).…”

“…spiritual knowledge and coping skills (Narayanasamy 2001) and helps them effectively cope with the critical situations of life (Cavendish et al 2006). Other positive consequences of spiritual care include greater reality acceptance (Mok et al 2010), inner peace (McEwen 2005), reality-based peace (Mayer 1992), alleviation of anxiety (Carson & Koenig 2008), alleviation of depression (Mauk & Schmidt 2004), alleviation of psychological distress (Meraviglia 1999), enhanced resiliency (Smith 2006), optimism in stressful situations (Brown & Lo 1999), effective stress management (Battey 2009), increased self-control (Martsolf & Mickley 1998) and self-confidence (Meraviglia 1999), and reclaim a self-concept (Mattison 2006). Moreover, spiritual care provides patient satisfaction (Rieg et al 2006), improves nurses' spiritual awareness (Narayanasamy 2001), gives meaning and purpose to nurses' professional life and provides them with job satisfaction (Rieg et al 2006).…”