Spirituality in palliative care

Although being recognized by the World Health Organization as an essential domain of palliative care, spiritual care is still one of the most neglected component of the healthcare system. In this editorial, we set the context and invite contributions for a BMC Palliative Care Collection of articles titled 'Spirituality in Palliative Care'.

Living with uncertainty and the reality of death

The role of death and dying can play a central role in illness and in health care, and yet the reality of death in making sense of illness is often overlooked. Guided by the philosophy of Martin Heidegger (1962) and the works of Viktor Frankl (1959) , this article, which is part of a larger study ( Quinn, 2018 ), reveals the presence of death in the lives of people trying to make sense of having cancer. This article demonstrates that facing up to death is a core part of the personal experience of living with cancer for many people. Amid the diagnosis and the uncertainty it brought, the reality of death is never far away. While the 15 participants who took part in this study in 2015 wanted to survive, some acknowledged that death was very close. Paying attention to the presence of death in these personal stories may help improve the support healthcare professionals give to those living with advanced disease.

Responding to people who are experiencing spiritual pain

This article explores the spiritual pain that patients may experience, which is often hidden or overlooked in healthcare settings that tend to focus on managing physical manifestations of pain. As part of their role in responding to patients' needs, nurses need to be willing to engage with spirituality, which is an important aspect of many people's lives. This article examines the meaning of spirituality and how spirituality may - or may not - relate to religious beliefs. It describes a whole-person approach to understanding the physical, social, emotional and spiritual dimensions of pain, and how this may assist nurses in recognising and addressing patients' spiritual needs. The article also explores attributes, skills and resources that can support nurses in responding to spiritual pain, including a caring presence, courage, compassion, and respect for other people's beliefs and values.