Abstract
Background
Spiritual care is an important element of holistic care but has received little attention within palliative care in end-stage heart failure.
Aims
To identify the spiritual needs and spiritual support preferences of end-stage heart failure patients/carers and to develop spiritual support guidelines locally.
Method
Semi-structured interviews (totalling 47) at 3-monthly intervals up to 1 year with 16 end-stage heart failure patients/carers. Focus group/consultation with stakeholders.
Results
Participants were struggling with spiritual/existential concerns alongside the physical and emotional challenges of their illness. These related to: love/belonging; hope; coping; meaning/purpose; faith/belief; and the future. As a patient's condition deteriorated, the emphasis shifted from 'fighting' the illness to making the most of the time left. Spiritual concerns could have been addressed by: having someone to talk to; supporting carers; and staff showing sensitivity/taking care to foster hope. A spiritual support home visiting service would be valued.
Conclusions
Our sample experienced significant spiritual needs and would have welcomed spiritual care within the palliative care package.
Implications for nursing management
Nurse managers could play a key role in developing this service and in leading further research to evaluate the provision of such a service in terms of its value to patients and other benefits including improved quality of life, spiritual well being, reduced loneliness/isolation and a possible reduction in hospital admissions.
Spiritual care is an important element of holistic care but has received little attention within palliative care in end-stage heart failure.
Aims
To identify the spiritual needs and spiritual support preferences of end-stage heart failure patients/carers and to develop spiritual support guidelines locally.
Method
Semi-structured interviews (totalling 47) at 3-monthly intervals up to 1 year with 16 end-stage heart failure patients/carers. Focus group/consultation with stakeholders.
Results
Participants were struggling with spiritual/existential concerns alongside the physical and emotional challenges of their illness. These related to: love/belonging; hope; coping; meaning/purpose; faith/belief; and the future. As a patient's condition deteriorated, the emphasis shifted from 'fighting' the illness to making the most of the time left. Spiritual concerns could have been addressed by: having someone to talk to; supporting carers; and staff showing sensitivity/taking care to foster hope. A spiritual support home visiting service would be valued.
Conclusions
Our sample experienced significant spiritual needs and would have welcomed spiritual care within the palliative care package.
Implications for nursing management
Nurse managers could play a key role in developing this service and in leading further research to evaluate the provision of such a service in terms of its value to patients and other benefits including improved quality of life, spiritual well being, reduced loneliness/isolation and a possible reduction in hospital admissions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1 - 9 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of Nursing Management |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 1 Mar 2013 |
Keywords
- spirituality
- heart failure
- palliative care
- spiritual needs
- qualitative