Expanding the dialogue on prayer relevant to holistic care.
Because prayer is the most frequently used spiritual practice, it is beneficial to address the relationship between prayer and spiritual care needs. Raising awareness among nurses of the meaning of prayer practices in healthcare settings may strengthen holistic care. This article presents a synthesis of nursing theory on prayer and spirituality for holistic care and attempts to expand an understanding of prayer practices related to traditions of increasingly diverse patients and caregivers. In addition, a 4-point guide for spiritual caregiving is presented to help nurses address human responses in the spiritual domain.
Dijoseph
Josephine
J
St. Vincent's Hospital, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA.
Cavendish
Roberta
R
D006694:Holistic Health; D018939:Holistic Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000592:standards; D009742:Nursing Theory; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000592:standards; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D012067:Religion; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D029181:Spirituality