title: The power of consoling presence - hospice nurses' lived experience with spiritual and existential care for the dying.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Being with dying people is an integral part of nursing, yet many nurses feel unprepared to accompany people through the process of dying, reporting a lack of skills in psychosocial and spiritual care, resulting in high levels of moral distress, grief and burnout. The aim of this study is to describe the meaning of hospice nurses' lived experience with alleviating dying patients' spiritual and existential suffering.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a qualitative study. Hospice nurses were interviewed individually and asked to narrate about their experiences with giving spiritual and existential care to terminally ill hospice patients. Data analysis was conducted using phenomenological hermeneutical method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The key spiritual and existential care themes identified, were sensing existential and spiritual distress, tuning inn and opening up, sensing the atmosphere in the room, being moved and touched, and consoling through silence, conversation and religious consolation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consoling existential and spiritual distress is a deeply personal and relational practice. Nurses have a potential to alleviate existential and spiritual suffering through consoling presence. By connecting deeply with patients and their families, nurses have the possibility to affirm the patients' strength and facilitate their courage to live a meaningful life and die a dignified death.
authors.affiliation: Lovisenberg Diaconal University College, Oslo, Norway ; Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo, Norway ; Center for the Psychology of Religion, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Ottestad, Norway.
authors.forename: Kirsten A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Tornøe
authors.affiliation: Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo, Norway ; Center for the Psychology of Religion, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Ottestad, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Danbolt
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing and Mental Health, Hedmark University College, Elverum, Norway.
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kvigne
authors.affiliation: Lovisenberg Diaconal University College, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Venke
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sørlie
keywords: Consolation; Dying; Hospice nursing; Phenomenological hermeneutical study; Spiritual and existential care