title: The Ars Moriendi Model for Spiritual Assessment: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore nurses' and physicians' experiences with the ars moriendi model (AMM) for spiritual assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convergent, parallel, mixed-methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Palliative home care in Belgium.
  
  
  METHODS
  17 nurses and 4 family physicians (FPs) in the quantitative phase, and 19 nurses and 5 FPs in the later qualitative phase.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was used to investigate first impressions after a spiritual assessment. Descriptive statistics were applied for the analysis of the survey. In a semistructured interview a few weeks later, nurses and physicians were asked to describe their experiences with using the AMM. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and qualitatively analyzed. Quantitative and qualitative results were compared to see whether the findings were confirmative.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey assessed the feasibility of the AMM for use in palliative home care, whereas the semistructured interviews collected in-depth descriptions of healthcare providers' (HCPs') experiences with the AMM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The AMM was perceived as valuable. Many patients shared their wishes and expectations about the end of life. Most HCPs said they felt that the patient-provider relationship had been strengthened as a result of the spiritual assessment. Almost all assessments raised new issues; however, many dyads had informally discussed spiritual issues before.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study suggests that HCPs believe that the AMM is a useful spiritual assessment tool. Guided by the model, HCPs can gather information about the context, life story, and meaningful connections of patients, which enables them to facilitate person-centered care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AMM appears to be an important tool for spiritual assessment that can offer more insight into patients' spirituality and help nurses to establish person-centered end-of-life care.
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven in Belgium.
authors.forename: Mieke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vermandere
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven in Belgium.
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Warmenhoven
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven in Belgium.
authors.forename: Evie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Severen
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven in Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Lepeleire
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven in Belgium.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aertgeerts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001530:Belgium; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D029181:Spirituality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: communication; palliative care; spirituality