Bibliography: leaves 349-369. A study, informed by phenomenology, which describes 24 nurses' meaningful experiences in practice, for the purpose of capturing the spirit embodied in nursing practice.

There is heightened need for awareness of spiritual care in nursing. The need for spiritual care is recognized in nursing literature, NANDA, JCAHO, and other nursing organizations. However, research studies with cancer patients and hospice patients indicate that nurses are reluctant to provide spiritual care for their patients. The purpose of this research study is to describe the current spiritual care beliefs and practices of nurses in general practice. In this descriptive study, the following research questions were answered: (1) what are the spiritual care practices of nurses? (2) how frequently are nurses involved in spiritual care interventions? (3) what is the meaning of spiritual care to nurses?, and ( 4) what are nurses' attitudes and beliefs about spirituality and religion? The Spiritual Care Perspectives Scale (SCPS) and the Information About You questionnaires by Taylor, Highfield, and Amenta were utilized in this research. From a population of approximately 300 nurses working in a religious hospital in the southeastern United States, a convenience sample of 100 nurses participated in the study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis of the qualitative data obtained in the short answer, open-ended questions. Results indicated that the spiritual care practices of nurses include: making referrals to chaplains, listening to patients, praying for patients, and facilitating religious rituals. Nurses are frequently involved in spiritual care interventions through prayer. In conclusion, this study of spiritual care beliefs and practices of nurses showed that nurses provide spiritual care in a variety of nursing practice settings in the response to the needs of their patients.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how psychiatric nurses working with psychiatric clients in the EThekwini District understand the spiritual dimension of holistic psychiatric nursing practice. Descriptive phenomenology informed the study design, data collection and analysis. Integrating spiritual and psychiatric care is an important contemporary issue for psychiatric nursing if the profession is to continue to define itself as a holistic and client-centered activity and to provide socially responsive care (Greasley et al 2001; Mohr, 2006). Local data about how nurses understand and practice spirituality in their working encounters with clients would be an important first step in enhancing holistic, patient-centered psychiatric nursing care in the South African context. Purposeful sampling was used to select the seven psychiatric nurses working in psychiatric settings in the EThekwini District. These participants were selected from the advanced psychiatric nursing classes of the School of Nursing of the University of KwaZulu-Natal for 2008/2009 and 2009/2010. Data were collected through in-depth interviews lasting for 45minutes to lhour and were audio-taped and later transcribed to facilitate easy analysis. The Colaizzi Method of data analysis and representation was utilized. The following four themes emerged during the analysis of the data. Each theme had between three and twenty one associated significant statements. Theme 1 revolved around the higher power of spirituality, religion and their relationship. The participants conceptualized spirituality in a variety of ways, linking spirituality to religion and to cultural values, daily moral and interpersonal experiences with self and others that provide direction and meaning in life. Spirituality was conceived of as "the glue that brings people together" and as a primary source of meaning making in daily life that provides people, nurses and patients with a sense of belonging and of joy, hope, and comfort in both difficult and happy times. The second theme "Central to but forgotten in psychiatric nursing practice" concurs with the literature view that spirituality and psychiatric nursing care are related, although spirituality is often forgotten in psychiatric nursing practice. Participants linked spirituality specifically to Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. The third theme entitled "Psychiatric nursing for the spirit: Enabling and limiting factors identifies a number of factors which influence how psychiatric nurses engage with this dimension of holistic psychiatric nursing practice. This theme focuses on factors which influence psychiatric nurses in providing spiritual care for their patients. Enabling factors include psychiatric' nurses own spiritual orientation and knowledge about spiritual care enables them to provide spiritual care whereas limiting factors include the lack of spiritual education and spiritual knowledge in providing this care. The final theme highlights what these nurses see as important for developing their ability to provide spiritual assistance and includes education in method of spiritual assessment and intervention as the basis for providing holistic psychiatric nursing practice. A number of recommendations for psychiatric nursing practice, education, research and policy-making based on the data from the study were made to relevant stakeholders. If accepted and implemented will go a long way in augmenting psychiatric nursing intervention to be holistic wherein psychiatric nursing care will include not only the biological, psychological and social care but also the spiritual care. / Thesis (MN)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

Bibliography: leaves 349-369. / xiv, 369 leaves ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / A study, informed by phenomenology, which describes 24 nurses' meaningful experiences in practice, for the purpose of capturing the spirit embodied in nursing practice. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Clinical Nursing, 1996

A qualitative, grounded theory study was undertaken to explore and describe how nurses conceptualise spiritual nursing care, and how they integrate spiritual nursing care in practice. An in-depth literature review through concept analysis on the phenomenon was conducted to assist the researcher with theoretical sensitivity and theoretical saturation. In-depth Individual interviews and focus group interviews were conducted to generate data. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed by the researcher verbatim. Symbolic Interactionism was the philosophical base for the study. Data analysis was done through the use of the NUD*Ist computer soft ware programme version 4.0. The direct quotes of participants were coded and arranged into meaning units for analysis. A constant comparison method of data analysis was applied by following a process of open, axial and selective coding. Tech’s (1990:142-145) eight steps of analysis to analyse textual qualitative data was used until themes, categories and subcategories were identified and developed. Data analysis revealed that nurses had difficulty to differentiate spiritual nursing care from emotional, psychological or religious care. Nurses still felt inadequately prepared educationally on how to integrate spiritual nursing care in nursing practice. A Humane Care Model and practice guidelines were developed to guide nurses in clinical practice on how to provide such care. Recommendations proposed that the matter be taken up by nurse managers, educators and nurse clinicians to guide nurses in this regard. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

The number of adults over the age of 65 years living with one of more chronic illness in the United States is an acknowledged health challenge for the 21st century. This qualitative research investigation examined the lived experience for adults living with one or more chronic illnesses in the context of a community of faith with access to a faith community nurse. Interpretative hermeneutic analysis was used for the phenomenological study. Findings indicate that the adults expressed their primary essence is living in abundance while living faith and living caring. The findings from this study describe the relationship between adults living with chronic illness, the community of faith and the faith community nurse. Further, findings from this study contribute to essential knowledge necessary for developing models of health care in the community for adults living with chronic illness and nursing care in the community that are distinct and complex. Findings will also support the development of interventions in contexts of faith communities to support and strengthen adults living with one or more chronic illness. The emerging specialty practice in nursing labeled faith community nursing holds promise to come alongside current models of health care to support living in abundance. / by Susan MacLeod Dyess. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, FL : 2008 Mode of access: World Wide Web.

A qualitative, grounded theory study was undertaken to explore and describe how nurses conceptualise spiritual nursing care, and how they integrate spiritual nursing care in practice. An in-depth literature review through concept analysis on the phenomenon was conducted to assist the researcher with theoretical sensitivity and theoretical saturation. In-depth Individual interviews and focus group interviews were conducted to generate data. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed by the researcher verbatim. Symbolic Interactionism was the philosophical base for the study. Data analysis was done through the use of the NUD*Ist computer soft ware programme version 4.0. The direct quotes of participants were coded and arranged into meaning units for analysis. A constant comparison method of data analysis was applied by following a process of open, axial and selective coding. Tech’s (1990:142-145) eight steps of analysis to analyse textual qualitative data was used until themes, categories and subcategories were identified and developed. Data analysis revealed that nurses had difficulty to differentiate spiritual nursing care from emotional, psychological or religious care. Nurses still felt inadequately prepared educationally on how to integrate spiritual nursing care in nursing practice. A Humane Care Model and practice guidelines were developed to guide nurses in clinical practice on how to provide such care. Recommendations proposed that the matter be taken up by nurse managers, educators and nurse clinicians to guide nurses in this regard. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Parish nursing, a specialty nursing practice which includes the spiritual component of integration of faith and health, has been growing rapidly over the last decade. Standards of Parish Nursing Practice developed in 1998 are consistent with the nursing process and include the spiritual dimension.

Submitted in fulfilment of requirements for the Degree of Masters in Technology: Nursing, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / Introduction : Empirical research pertaining to spirituality has grown in the Western context, with a myriad studies, that have documented the salience of spirituality to health and wellbeing in relation to a range of issues such as HIV/AIDS, cancer and heart disease (Koenig et al. 2001:1189). It is against this backdrop that nursing scholars have begun to research the role of spirituality and spiritual care in nursing practice, in the Euro-American context. In South Africa research in this field is sparse, hence prompting the need for the current study. Problem statement : There is a huge gap in the South African nursing literature on spirituality and spiritual care, grounding the need for research in this area. Internationally however studies have grown focussing on the views of practitioners and faculty with regard to spirituality and spiritual care in nursing practice. Objectives : To explore the views of nurses at public hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal regarding the role of spirituality and spiritual care in nursing practice. To investigate nursing practitioners’ views on the salience of spirituality to patients. To investigate whether nurses utilize spiritually based activities in nursing. To investigate whether current nursing education and training has prepared nurses for spiritual care. Methodology : The study utilized a descriptive survey utilizing a cross-sectional design. A quantitative research design was utilized to survey nursing practitioners at selected public hospitals through a process of multiphase random sampling. Data was collected using survey questionnaires. Findings : Findings of this study have shown that nurses do accept spirituality and spiritual care as being part of their role. Participants (n=385) acknowledged that spiritual care is a component of holistic patient care. This aspect of care, they agreed, lacks the attention it seriously needs. In addition, majority of nurses considered nursing to be part of their spiritual path. Results indicated that the more spiritual nurses viewed themselves, the more positive their perspectives were towards providing spiritual care.

A qualitative, non-experimental, explorative and descriptive research design based on the phenomenological philosophical tradition by Heidegger to broaden hermeneutics was conducted. The study was conducted at Umkhanyakude District to investigate the perspectives of eligible nursing students relating to the provision of spiritual care to patients. A purposive sample of 9 participants was recruited and consent form obtained. An unstructured interview guide, with a grand tour question, was used to conduct face to face individual interviews. The Thematic analysis and interpretative phenomenological method of analysis were employed until three themes, six categories and eleven subcategories emerged from the data. Data analysis revealed that nurses had difficulty to differentiate spiritual care from religious care. Commonly cited methods of providing spiritual care were prayer, reading sacred text and singing spiritual songs. Nurses still felt inadequately prepared educationally on how to provide spiritual care in nursing practice. Most of the participants provided spiritual care out of their own interest and not as part of their professional responsibility. Recommendations proposed that the matter be taken up by nurse managers to conduct related in-service education and mentoring programs and nurse educators to guide curriculum planning which evidently include spiritual care. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)