[Spiritual needs of patients in an emergency room]

[Spiritual care competences of healthcare workers in emergency and intensive care-a prospective questionnaire study]

BACKGROUND

In intensive and emergency care, patients and their relatives are confronted with potentially existential crises. Spiritual care can be an additional resource to address related psychosocial and physical symptoms and to support patients and their relatives. Accordingly, healthcare workers need spiritual skills to recognize and respond to these needs.

OBJECTIVES

What spiritual competencies do healthcare workers in intensive and emergency care have? Are there differences between professions and genders? What factors influence spiritual competencies?

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The prospective questionnaire study included physicians participating in intensive care and emergency medicine courses and nurses who were training or working in intensive and emergency care. Self-reported spiritual competencies were assessed using the Spiritual Care Competence Questionnaire (SCCQ), which captures the following areas: perceptual competence, team-spirit, documentation competence, self-awareness and proactive opening, knowledge about other religions, competence in conversation techniques and proactive empowerment-competence.

RESULTS

We included 465 physicians (50% female, years in profession: mean = 4.0, standard deviation [SD] = 3.5) and 86 nurses (80% female, years in profession: mean = 12.7, SD = 10.7). The average SCC was 2.3 (SD 0.4) out of a maximum of 4 points, with higher spiritual competences among spiritual and religious respondents. There were differences in specific competencies between the professions and genders. Women indicated a higher level of competence in the area of perception and conversation skills, physicians in documentation skills.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, there is a clear need to train healthcare staff in the field of intensive care and emergency medicine.

Spiritual needs and influencing factors among people with stroke in China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Stroke is one of the primary causes of disability in China and around the world, having an impact on the health and well-being of stroke patients. The importance of spiritual needs for stroke patients has always been a controversial topic internationally, partly because related research was mostly qualitative and may not directly reflect the degree of spiritual needs. In addition, most studies focus on the same cultural background, there is a lack of research that delves into the nuances of Chinese culture and background. The goal of this study is to evaluate the level of spiritual needs and influencing factors in Chinese stroke patients and to explore the mediating role and pathways of these variables on spiritual needs.

METHODS

From August 2022 to January 2023, we conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of 422 stroke patients in the affiliated hospitals of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine in Changsha Province by cluster sampling. We measured the patient's spiritual needs, quality of life, anxiety and depression levels, and family support using the Spiritual Needs Questionnaire (SPNQ), the MOS36 item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Family Support Self Rating Scale (PSS-Fa). We used the General Information Questionnaire to gain insight into the sociodemographic characteristics of the patients. Nonparametric tests and multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the independent relationship between spiritual needs and quality of life, anxiety, depression, and family support. The mediation model in AMOS 24.0 software was used to analyze the mediating role among the five variables.

RESULTS

The score of spiritual needs of people with stroke included in this study was 37 points [IQR 33 to 40)]. The influencing factors of spiritual needs included primary economic sources for disease-related expenditures (p = 0.044), number of stroke occurrences (p = 0.001), duration of illness (p = 0.023), activities of daily living (p = 0.006), depression scores(p = 0.034), and family support scores(p = 0.008). Anxiety (β = 0.347, p = 0.004), depression (β = 0.368, p = 0.005), and family support (β = 0.167, p = 0.023) had directly or indirectly affected the spiritual needs of people with stroke. Quality of life (β=-0.202, p = 0.017) had a direct effect on spiritual needs.

CONCLUSIONS

The spiritual needs of people with stroke were at an intermediate level. Our findings highlight that the SPNQ score is associated with anxiety, depression, quality of life, and family support. Therefore, nurses should identify the spiritual needs of patients and provide them with effective and comprehensive spiritual care by reducing negative emotions and enhancing social support, promoting the development and progress of spiritual care in China. This study offers a theoretical basis for the spiritual care of clinical people with stroke and constructing a stroke spiritual care model.

[Palliative aspects in clinical acute and emergency medicine as well as intensive care medicine : Consensus paper of the DGIIN, DGK, DGP, DGHO, DGfN, DGNI, DGG, DGAI, DGINA and DG Palliativmedizin]

The integration of palliative medicine is an important component in the treatment of various advanced diseases. While a German S3 guideline on palliative medicine exists for patients with incurable cancer, a recommendation for non-oncological patients and especially for palliative patients presenting in the emergency department or intensive care unit is missing to date. Based on the present consensus paper, the palliative care aspects of the respective medical disciplines are addressed. The timely integration of palliative care aims to improve quality of life and symptom control in clinical acute and emergency medicine as well as intensive care.

Assessment of spiritual needs in cancer patients: A cross-sectional study

Introduction

Addressing the spiritual needs of patients is an essential component of holistic care in nursing. Acknowledging the spiritual needs of cancer patients enhances the performance of clinical caregivers in providing quality services to such patients. Therefore, caregivers successfully fulfill or decrease the patients' needs and thus increase their adaptation to crises.

Methods

The present cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the spiritual needs of cancer patients. In this study, 96 cancer patients were selected from Ayatollah Khansari Hospital in Arak, Iran. The required data were collected through a demographic information form and the Persian version of the Spiritual Needs Questionnaire.

Ethical Considerations

Participants' verbal consent to participate in the study was obtained, and they were assured of anonymity and confidentiality.

Results

In the present study, the mean age of the participants was 47.82 ± 14.34 years. The frequency distribution of respondents by gender was 36 males (37.5%) and 60 females (62.5%). The mean scores of spiritual needs in the domains of religious needs, need for inner peace, existential needs, and need for giving/generativity were 12.03 ± 3.18, 7.26 ± 3.26, 4.61 ± 2.96, and 4.06 ± 2.32, respectively. The highest and lowest mean values were associated with religious needs and need for giving/generativity, respectively. Religious needs showed a significantly positive relationship with gender, occupation, and the type of treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, a significant relationship was observed between the need for peace and level of education (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The recognition of the spiritual needs of cancer patients is the first step in prioritizing and planning to provide spiritual care to these patients and supporting them in adapting to and coping with the disease. Therefore, nurses need to acquire the fundamental knowledge and skills required to identify these needs.

Spiritual Experiences of Patients in the Cancer Trajectory: A Content Analysis

Background

Introduction: Patients with cancer as a life-threatening illness have needs in various dimensions. One of the most crucial dimension is spiritually. The present study was conducted to elucidate the spiritual needs of patients with cancer.

Methods

A qualitative approach involving face to face semi-structured interviews conducted in Arak city, Iran. In total, 24 participants were recruited through purposive sampling. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using content analysis.

Results

Patients' experiences of spirituality were classified into four themes, including spiritual needs (need to be in nature, need to communicate with others, need to perform religious practices, need for solitude and reflections, need to trust and security), strategies to address spiritual needs (physical activity, achieving inner peace, communication with the nurse or physician, doing dhikr (Zikr) and pray, reading the religious book and texts, making vows, paying attention to and loving others), reasons for not using spiritual resources (lack of belief in the healing powers of praying, believing in a better life after death), and impacts of spiritual beliefs (hope of Life, belief in divine destiny, trusting in God's support, accepting the divine test).

Conclusion

Exploring the experiences, perceptions, and spiritual needs of cancer patients is of great importance in providing spiritual care as one of the critical aspects of holistic care. Nurses should be educated for assessing spiritual needs of patients to provide spiritual care.

Spiritual needs among hospitalized patients at a public hospital in Brazil: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The relationship between spirituality and health has been the object of growing discussion. There is a lack of data on spiritual needs assessments in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the spiritual needs of patients admitted to a public tertiary hospital and perform a comparative analysis between patients with and without indications for palliative care.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A cross-sectional observational study included patients hospitalized between August and December 2020 in Hospital do Servidor Publico Municipal, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

METHODS

The included patients answered a questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic data, the Duke religiosity scale, and the Spiritual Needs Assessment for Patients (SNAP) tool for a spiritual needs assessment. The World Health Organization Palliative Needs tool (NECPAL) was used to evaluate the indications for palliative care. The level of significance adopted was 5%.

RESULTS

A total of 66 patients were included in this study. Most participants (97%) declared themselves as belonging to a religion. The group without indication for palliative care by the NECPAL showed greater spiritual (P = 0.043) and psychosocial needs (P = 0.004). No statistically significant difference was observed in the religious needs domain (P = 0.176). There were no statistically significant differences in the Duke scale scores between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Spiritual, psychosocial, and religious needs are prevalent among hospitalized patients, and multidisciplinary teams must consider these needs in their management approach. In addition, this study suggests that psychosocial and spiritual needs can be even higher in patients who do not receive palliative care.