Impact of Hope on Stroke Patients Receiving a Spiritual Care Program in Iran: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The Effect of Spiritual Care on Hope in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Referred to the MS Association of Hamadan in Iran

The negative impact of hopelessness on mental health makes multiple sclerosis (MS) disease unmanageable. This study aimed to determine the effect of spiritual care on hope in MS patients. In the present randomized controlled trial study, 70 MS patients were selected from the MS Association of Hamadan, Iran, and randomly allocated to intervention and control groups (35 patients per group). A demographic characteristic form and Snyder's Adult Hope Scale were completed before and after the intervention. Spiritual care was provided in weekly group sessions held for four weeks (45-60 min each). The data were analyzed using SPSS-16. Before the intervention, there were no significant between-group difference (P = 0.323). After the intervention, a significant between-group difference was observed (p < 0.001). There was also a significant increase in the mean of hope scores in the intervention group from baseline to follow-up (within-group difference) (p < 0.001), while there was no significant difference between baseline and follow-up in the control group (p = 0.38), confirming the effectiveness of spiritual care in improving hope. Given the impact of spiritual care on increasing patients' hope and improving their psychological state, nurses are advised to devote adequate time to their patients' spiritual needs.

Effectiveness of Group Spiritual Care on Leukemia Patients' Hope and Anxiety in Iran: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study examined the effectiveness of a group spiritual care program on leukemia patients' hope and anxiety. This randomized controlled trial involved 94 leukemia patients hospitalized in the two oncology departments of Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Hamadan, Iran. This study was carried out from November 2022 to April 2023. The participants were selected based on the study inclusion criteria using the convenience sampling method then they were randomized to either the experimental (N = 46) or the control group (N = 48). The participants completed the written informed consent form, the demographic information form, and Beck's anxiety and Snyder's hope questionnaires. The spiritual care program was provided in six sessions (one 45-60 min per week), including a spiritual needs assessment, religious care, spiritual care, psychological-spiritual care, supportive-spiritual care, and evaluation. The participants then completed Beck's anxiety and Snyder's hope questionnaires immediately, one and two months after the intervention. At baseline, there was no significant between-group difference in leukemia patients' mean scores of hope (P = 0.313) and anxiety (P = 0.141); however, immediately, one and two months after the intervention, a significant between-group difference in the mean scores of hope and anxiety was observed (P < 0.001). Also, from baseline to two months after the intervention, a significant decrease and increase in anxiety and hope mean scores, respectively, were observed in the experimental group (within-group difference) (P < 0.001). However, in the control group, from baseline to two months after the intervention, a significant increase and decrease in mean scores of anxiety and hope, respectively, were observed (within-group difference) (P < 0.001). As a result, it is recommended that nurses should consider providing spiritual care to leukemia patients as a part of holistic care.

Impact of a spiritual care program on the sleep quality and spiritual health of Muslim stroke patients: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

Stroke patients often experience poor sleep quality and spiritual health due to complications and limitations. In this situation, implementing spiritual care may reduce these problems. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of a spiritual care program on sleep quality and spiritual health of Muslim stroke patients.

METHODS

This was a two-group randomized clinical trial conducted in Hamadan, Iran, in 2021, with 117 stroke patients. The samples were selected by convenience sampling and assigned to experimental (N = 59) and control (N = 58) groups based on random permutation blocks. The data were collected using the demographic information form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Paloutzian and Ellison Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and the Modified Rankin Scale before and one month after the intervention. The experimental group received five daily sessions of spiritual care for 45-60 min based on standard and local methods, including patient orientation and identification of spiritual needs, religious care, supportive spiritual care, and beneficial evaluations. Data were analyzed by chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, independent t-test, and paired t-test at 0.05 significance level in SPSS 21.

RESULTS

The socio-demographic characteristics were similar between the groups (p > 0.05). At baseline, there was no significant difference in sleep quality and spiritual health between the experimental and control groups (p > 0.05). However, after the intervention, the sleep quality and spiritual health of patients in the experimental group improved significantly compared with the control group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The spiritual care program improved sleep quality and spiritual health of stroke patients; therefore, nurses should consider these aspects to provide holistic care.

The effects of spiritual care intervention on spiritual well-being, loneliness, hope and life satisfaction of intensive care unit patients

BACKGROUND

The intensive care unit is a place where patients try to cope with pain and question the meaning and purpose of life and spiritual needs emerge.

OBJECTIVE

The present study was conducted to examine the effects of spiritual care interventions on the spiritual well-being, loneliness, hope, and life satisfaction of patients treated in intensive care.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The study was conducted in an intensive care unit as an interventional study with a randomized pre-test, post-test, and control group between September and December 2021. A total of 64 patients, 32 in the intervention group and 32 in the control group, were included in the sample. The patients in the intervention group received eight sessions (twice a week) of spiritual nursing interventions according to the Traditions-Reconciliation-Understandings-Searching-Teachers model in the intensive care unit, while the control group received routine nursing care.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 63.53 ± 4.10 years in the intervention group and 63.37 ± 3.18 years in the control group. Most of the participants in both the intervention (59.4 %) and control (68.7 %) groups were female. Following the intervention, the findings showed that the intervention had positive effects on patients' spiritual well-being (t = -10.382), loneliness (t = 13.635), hope (t = -10.440), and life satisfaction (t = -10.480) levels (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

It was found that the spiritual care provided in the intensive care unit positively affected patients' spiritual well-being, hope, loneliness, and life satisfaction levels. It can be recommended that nurses working in intensive care develop a spiritually supportive environment by addressing the spiritual issues of patients and their relatives and using existing spiritual care services.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

Intensive care nurses should provide an environment and nursing care that meet their patients' spiritual needs. Spiritual care can be given to improve spiritual well-being, hope, and life satisfaction levels and to alleviate loneliness in intensive care patients.