Spiritual Care for Patients in the Terminal Stage of Cancer : Narratives by Nurses in the Hospices/Palliative Care Units

Abstract

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify how nurses provide spiritual care for the patients in the terminal stage of cancer. The subjects were the nurses in the hospice/palliative care unit. The design of this study is descriptive using a qualitative research method. Nine nurses participated in this study, in which they described the care of eighteen patients. The types of spiritual pain experienced by the patients as reported by the nurses were grouped into six themes. The nurses reported that they provided the following types of care on response to the spiritual pains listed above : a) recognizing the spiritual pain felt by the patient, b) relieving the physical pain, c) keeping the company, d) encouraging the patient to look inward for strength, e) help strengthen the psychological ties between the patient and his/her family, f) using self as a tool to help the patient attain the inner peace, g) taking a team approach, h) respecting and honoring the patient's beliefs in the super natural existence, and i) encouraging hope for the life beyond death.