The challenge of spiritual care in a multi-faith society experienced as a Christian nurse.
BACKGROUND
Understanding the spiritual dimension of holistic nursing care is arguably regaining its centrality in the assessment of patient well being in whatever area of care. However it is argued that we are still far from having a universal agreement as to what is meant by the concept of spirituality.


OBJECTIVE
This paper aims to explore some of the definitions and models of spirituality and determine what is meant by spiritual needs. Taking the perspective of a Christian nurse, the potential tension between the nature of spiritual care and evidence-based professionalism is explored.


CONCLUSIONS
The exploration reveals the challenges faced by a nurse who wishes to administer this spiritual care and holds a personal commitment to the Christian faith.


CONCLUSIONS
Acknowledging and debating the challenge of spiritual care is arguably the first step towards meeting optimally this need in our patients. The dilemma that may need to be further explored within the context of nursing care is how a nurse, holding and operating within one particular belief (e.g. Christianity) can offer the ideal of spiritual care to patients who hold other, quite different beliefs.
Fawcett
Tonks N
TN
Nursing Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. t.fawcett@ed.ac.uk
Noble
Amy
A
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002835:Christianity / Q000523:psychology*; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D018939:Holistic Nursing; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010327:Pastoral Care; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D029181:Spirituality; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D016746:Transcultural Nursing; D006113:United Kingdom