title: Spirituality and life-threatening illness: a phenomenologic study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the lived experience of individuals when confronted with a life-threatening disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative, phenomenologic using Giorgi's approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients' homes in the Midwest.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five women and two men, aged 44-74 years, who had a variety of diagnoses, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, and myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were recruited through flyers posted at support groups and religious establishments and by word of mouth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Willingness to volunteer to share their stories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants described how their spirituality provided comfort throughout their journey, strength in facing the life-threatening illness, many blessings despite the hardship of the illness, and trust in a higher power to see them through the journey. All participants described a sense of meaning in their lives throughout their experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spirituality greatly affected patients' journeys through a life-threatening illness and provided a sense of meaning despite the illness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses need to acknowledge patients' spirituality and, in turn, assist patients in meeting their spiritual needs. By understanding the study participants' experiences, nurses can better support their patients, provide time and space for spiritual practices, and honor patients' spiritual journeys.
authors.affiliation: Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA. jaalbaug@nmh.org
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Albaugh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D003210:Concept Formation; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019369:Life; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012072:Religious Philosophies / Q000523:psychology; D029181:Spirituality