title: How family practice physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants incorporate spiritual care in practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate how primary care family practice providers incorporate spirituality into their practices in spite of documented barriers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A phenomenological qualitative design was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three physicians, five nurse practitioners, and two physician assistants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Five major theme clusters emerged: (1) discerning instances for overt spiritual assessment; (2) displaying a genuine and caring attitude; (3) encouraging the use of existing spiritual practices; (4) documenting spiritual care for continuity of care; (5) managing perceived barriers to spiritual care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings support that patients' spiritual needs can be addressed in spite of documented barriers. Techniques to assist providers in providing spiritual care are discussed and directions for future research are suggested.
authors: Prevention & Wellness Services, Loma Linda, California 92354, USA. rtanyi@yahoo.com
authors: Ruth A
authors: RA
authors: Tanyi
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: McKenzie
authors: Cynthia
authors: C
authors: Chapek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D004282:Documentation; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010823:Physician Assistants / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D024382:Professional Role / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires