The language of spirituality: an emerging taxonomy.
BACKGROUND
This paper explores the relationships that exist between the language used to describe spirituality within nursing and the appropriateness of constructing a universal definition acceptable to all individuals. 'Spirituality' is a term that is increasingly used in nursing but there may be problems about exactly what the term means and how it is interpreted and understood by both nurses and patients.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the paper is to explore some of the commonly cited definitions to establish if the concept of spirituality could be termed 'universal'.


METHODS
This paper presents a discussion, based upon a literature review, of the nursing and health care databases, combined with manual searches. The review demonstrates how the term spirituality is being constructed within nursing suggesting that there are numerous definitions each with several layers of meaning.


RESULTS
From the review the authors have developed 'a spiritual taxonomy' that may explain and accommodate the different layers of meaning found within nursing and health care definitions. At the extreme left there is a spirituality based on religious and theist ideals, while at the extreme right there is a spirituality based upon secular, humanistic, existential elements. A middle way is explained containing elements from both the left and right but not as fundamental or radical.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors argue that because there are so many definitions with different layers of meanings, spirituality can imply different things depending upon an individual's personal interpretation or worldview. The results of the review suggest nursing is constructing a 'blanket' definition of spirituality, which has a broad, almost inexhaustible set of defining characteristics. If this approach continues then there is a danger that the word may become so broad in meaning that it loses any real significance.
McSherry
Wilfred
W
School of Nursing, Social Work, and Applied Health Studies, The University of Hull, Milner Hall Room M208, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK. w.mcsherry@hull.ac.uk
Cash
Keith
K
D004644:Emotions; D005086:Existentialism; D006694:Holistic Health; D006808:Humanism; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000145:classification / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D009742:Nursing Theory; D010327:Pastoral Care; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012660:Semantics; D029181:Spirituality