title: Student nurses perceptions of spirituality and competence in delivering spiritual care: a European pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spiritual care is expected of nurses, but it is not clear how undergraduates can achieve competency in spiritual care at point of registration as required by nursing/midwifery regulatory bodies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe undergraduate nurses'/midwives' perceptions of spirituality/spiritual care, their perceived competence in delivering spiritual care, and to test out the proposed method and suitability of measures for a larger multinational follow-on study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, multinational, descriptive survey design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Author administered questionnaires were completed by 86% of the intended convenience sample of 618 undergraduate nurses/midwives from 6 universities in 4 European countries in 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students held a broad view of spirituality/spiritual care and considered themselves to be marginally more competent than not in spiritual care. They were predominantly Christian and reported high levels of spiritual wellbeing and spiritual attitude and involvement. The proposed method and measures were appropriate and are being used in a follow-on study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The following are worthy of further investigation: whether the pilot study findings hold in student samples from more diverse cultural backgrounds; whether students' perceptions of spirituality can be broadened to include the full range of spiritual needs patients may encounter and whether their competence can be enhanced by education to better equip them to deliver spiritual care; identification of factors contributing to acquisition of spiritual caring skills and spiritual care competency.
authors.affiliation: School of Care Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, Wales CF37 1DL, UK. Electronic address: linda.ross@southwales.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Reformed University for Applied Sciences, Grasdorpstraat 2, 8012EN Zwolle, The Netherlands. Electronic address: rleeuwen@gh.nl.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Leeuwen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Malta. Electronic address: donia.baldacchino@um.edu.mt.
authors.forename: Donia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baldacchino
authors.affiliation: Haraldsplass Deaconess University College, Ulriksdal 10, 5009 Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: Tove.giske@haraldsplass.no.
authors.forename: Tove
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giske
authors.affiliation: Centre for Practice and Service Improvement, Faculty of Health, Staffordshire University/The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Stafford, United Kingdom. Electronic address: w.mcsherry@staffs.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Wilfred
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McSherry
authors.affiliation: University of Nottingham, Faculty of Medicine & Health Science, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Physiotherapy, Room 75, D Floor, Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2HA, UK. Electronic address: Aru.Narayanasamy@nottingham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Aru
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narayanasamy
authors.affiliation: National Centre for the Protection of Older People, Health Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. Electronic address: carmel.downes@ucd.ie.
authors.forename: Carmel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Downes
authors.affiliation: School of Care Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, Wales CF37 1DL, UK. Electronic address: paul.jarvis@southwales.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jarvis
authors.affiliation: Reformed University of Applied Sciences, Grasdorpstraat 2, 8012 EN Zwolle, The Netherlands. Electronic address: aschep-akkerman@gh.nl.
authors.forename: Annemiek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schep-Akkerman
mesh_terms: D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011361:Professional Competence; D029181:Spirituality; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Nurse education; Spiritual care; Spiritual care competence; Spirituality