The spirit of palliative practice: a qualitative inquiry into the spiritual journey of palliative care physicians.
OBJECTIVE
Much is known about the important role of spirituality in the delivery of multidimensional care for patients at the end of life. Establishing a strong physician-patient relationship in a palliative context requires physicians to have the self-awareness essential to establishing shared meaning and relationships with their patients. However, little is known about this phenomenon and therefore, this study seeks a greater understanding of physician spirituality and how caring for the terminally ill influences this inner aspect.


METHODS
A qualitative descriptive study was used involving face-to-face interviews with six practicing palliative care physicians.


RESULTS
Conceptualized as a separate entity from religion, spirituality was described by participants as a notion relating to meaning, personal discovery, self-reflection, support, connectedness, and guidance. Spirituality and the delivery of care for the terminally ill appeared to be interrelated in a dynamic relationship where a physician's spiritual growth occurred as a result of patient interaction and that spiritual growth, in turn, was essential for providing compassionate care for the palliative patient. Spirituality also served as an influential force for physicians to engage in self-care practices.


CONCLUSIONS
With spirituality as a pervasive force not only in the lives of palliative care patients, but also in those of healthcare providers, it may prove to be beneficial to use this information to guide future practice in training and education for palliative physicians in both the spiritual care of patients and in practitioner self care.
Penderell
Adrienne
A
Division of Palliative Care, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Brazil
Kevin
K
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care; D010819:Physician's Role; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011364:Professional Practice; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D029181:Spirituality; D013637:Tape Recording; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology*