title: Spirituality in health: the role of spirituality in critical care.
abstract: Caring for critically ill patients requires that physicians and other health care professionals recognize the potential importance of spirituality in the lives of patients, families, and loved ones and in their own lives. Patients and loved ones undergo tremendous stress and suffering in facing critical illness. Professional caregivers also face similar stress and sadness. Spirituality offers people away to understand suffering and illness. Spiritual beliefs can also impact how people cope with illness. By addressing spiritual issues of patients, loved ones, and ourselves, we can create more holistic and compassionate systems of care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The George Washington University, 2131 K Street NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20052, USA. hscsmp@gwumc.edu
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Puchalski
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003422:Critical Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006117:Grief; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010327:Pastoral Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012067:Religion; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D029181:Spirituality; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards