title: Psychiatric nurses' perspectives of spirituality and spiritual needs during an amalgamation.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of spirituality and how the spiritual needs of psychiatric nurses could be supported at work during a hospital amalgamation. Forty-six nurses completed the General Information Questionnaire and described the meaning of spirituality and how their spiritual needs could be supported. Data were analysed by the double-coding qualitative method. The themes identified for the meaning of spirituality included: being hopeful, having belief/belief systems, maintaining relatedness/connectedness and the expression of spirituality. The major themes identified to support nursing staffs' spiritual needs at work included communication, offering hope, being valued and support from spiritual sources. Nurses expressed the importance of spirituality in their lives and the need for spiritual support at work. Data for addressing staff spiritual needs are reported; however, further studies are needed to understand the spiritual needs of nursing staff at work during hospital amalgamations.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The University of Western Ontario, 40 The Ridgeway, London, Ontario N6C 1A1, Canada. slray@uwo.ca
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D006273:Health Facility Merger; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing; D012944:Social Support; D029181:Spirituality