Spiritual care: a phenomenologic study of critical care nurses.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to describe critical care nurses' lived experience of providing spiritual care to critically ill patients and their families.


METHODS
The study design was phenomenologic and descriptive.


METHODS
The purposive sample consisted of 10 critical care nurses with experience providing spiritual care to critically ill patients or their families. Each nurse participated in an audiotaped interview. Colaizzi's method guided data analysis.


RESULTS
Six themes emerged: (1) meanings of spirituality, (2) out of tragedy: spiritual awakening, (3) mutual knowing: a bridge to spiritual assessment, (4) the everydayish-ness of spiritual care, (5) prayer and beyond: letting go to the mystical, and (6) spiritual caring: from suffering to blessing.


CONCLUSIONS
Critical care nurses' experiences of providing spiritual care emerged as integral and inseparable behaviors imbedded in the everyday nursing care of others. Critical care nurses experienced heightened awareness and responsiveness to patient and family spiritual need during life-threatening situations. Providing spiritual care held significant meaning for these critical care nurses that resulted in professional satisfaction.
Kociszewski
Cynthia
C
New Britain General Hospital, New Britain, Connecticut, USA.
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003422:Critical Care / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D026443:Spiritual Therapies / Q000451:nursing*; D029181:Spirituality