title: Turkish nurses' perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore Turkish nurses' perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care and to investigate the relationship between their perceptions and their demographic/independent variables.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Nurses' perception of spirituality can directly affect how they behave, deal with their patients and communicate with them in regard to the provision of spiritual care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study employed a convenience sample of 348 staff nurses from the public hospitals in the west of Turkey. The data were collected with two tools; a 'sociodemographic data form' and the 'Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale' (SSCRS). The response rate was 92% (n = 319).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the nurses was 31·70 (SD 6·34) years and 22·9% of them had a Bachelor's degree. Among the nurses, 54·98% had ≥ 11 years of clinical experience. The mean score for the SSCRS was 3·21 (SD 0·63) which indicated that nurses' perceptions concerning spirituality and spiritual care were 'uncertain' or 'less clearly' defined. Significant differences were found between nurses' perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care and their ages (p < 0·05), marital status (p < 0·05) and education levels (p < 0·01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The research findings suggest that Turkish nurses' perceptions were indecisive and inconclusive. Nurses' educational level, belief in the evil eye and department of employment appeared to have a positive impact on their perception of spirituality and spiritual care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings will enable nurses to consider the importance of spirituality and spiritual care. Grasping these concepts will enable nurses to become more sensitive in their daily practices of spiritual care.
authors.affiliation: Balıkesir University, Balıkesir Vocational School of Health Services, Balıkesir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ferda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozbasaran
authors.forename: Safak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ergul
authors.forename: Ayla Bayik
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Temel
authors.forename: Gulsah Gurol
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.forename: Ayden
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coban
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D029181:Spirituality; D014421:Turkey