title: Health care providers' perceptions of spirituality while caring for veterans.
abstract: To determine health care providers' views on spirituality, its role in the health of patients, and barriers to discussing spiritual issues with patients, the author convened five focus groups at two Veterans Administration Medical Centers. Participants were nurses, physicians, social workers, psychologists, and chaplains. Common themes included (a) the lack of education for professionals regarding how to address patients' spiritual needs; and (b) systems-related issues, including communication systems that do not function well, how spiritual needs are addressed on admission, support or lack thereof by hospital administrators, and lack of support for the spiritual needs of staff. The aging and illnesses of many current veterans plus the escalated potential of war highlight the importance of addressing veterans' spiritual needs.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Health Administration Center for Practice Management and Outcomes Research (11-H), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Carol E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Fletcher
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006694:Holistic Health; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005791:Patient Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D029181:Spirituality; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*