ch 5 Flashcards
The nurse is assessing a patient’s spirituality and observes the patient meditating before any treatments. What is the nurse’s best action?
a. Document that the patient is not religious.
b. Offer the patient a copy of the Bible to read.
c. Arrange for quiet time for the patient as needed.
d. Limit the time patient can meditate before procedures.
ANS: C
The nurse can best promote the patient’s spirituality practices by arranging for the patient to be left alone when possible to meditate. Meditation is an exemplar of spirituality, not necessarily of the Christian faith. The Bible is most often read by believers in the Christian faith. Meditation does not imply that the patient is not religious. Time for meditation should not be limited, whenever possible.
When conducting a spiritual assessment of a hospitalized patient, the nurse should remain aware of which potential barrier to effective communication?
a. Clarifying the meaning of a patient’s statement.
b. Multi-tasking while talking to the patient.
c. Listening to patients’ complete statements.
d. Discussing patient’s feelings while hospitalized.
ANS: B
Several barriers may result in the nurse’s inability to be totally present and communicate effectively with the patient. First, the nurse may be distracted by other things and may not pay attention to the patient. Multi-tasking while trying to listen to a patient may be a barrier to effective communication. Second, the nurse may miss the meaning of the patient’s message because of failure to clarify the meaning of a word, a phrase, or a facial expression. Third, the nurse may interject personal feelings and reactions into the patient’s situation rather than allow the patient to explore and discuss his own feelings and reactions. The last barrier occurs when the nurse is busy formulating a response while the patient is still talking. In this instance, the nurse never hears the patient’s message.
A patient uses rosary beads and attends mass once a week. This expression of spirituality is best described with which term? a. Religiosity
b. Faith
c. Belief
d. Authenticity
ANS: A
There are a few similar and related terms to spirituality worth mentioning to provide distinction and clarification. Faith, as defined by Dyess, refers to an “evolving pattern of believing, that grounds and guides authentic living and gives meaning in the present moment of inter-relating.” Religiosity, another similar term, is an external expression (public or private), in the form of practicing a belief or faith, whereas spirituality is an internalized spiritual identity (or experiential). Specifically , religiosity is defined as “the adherence to religious dogma or creed, the expression of moral beliefs, and/or the participation in organized or individual worship, or sacred practices.”
When developing a plan of care, the nurse should consider which attribute of the concept of spirituality?
a. Spirituality is not a well-known universal concept.
b. Chronic versus acute illnesses affect spirituality.
c. Convincing patients to pray is a priority intervention.
d. Referrals may be needed to spiritual counselors.
ANS: D
The attributes of the concept of spirituality in the context of nursing care are described below.
* Spirituality is universal. All individuals, even those who profess no religious belief, are driven to derive meaning and purpose from life.
* Illness impacts spirituality in a variety of ways. Some patients and families will draw closer to God or however they conceive that higher Power to be in an effort to seek support, healing, and comfort. Others may blame and feel anger toward that Higher Power for any illness and misfortune that may have befallen a loved one or their entire family. Still others will be neutral in their spiritual reactions.
* There has to be willingness on the part of patient and/or family to share and/or act on spiritual beliefs and practices.
* The nurse needs to be aware that specific spiritual beliefs and practices are impacted by family and culture.
* The nurse needs to be willing to assess the concept of spirituality in patients and families and based on this ongoing
assessment to integrate the spiritual beliefs of patients and families into care.
* The nurse needs to be willing to refer the patient or family to a Spiritual Expert i.e., a Minister, Priest, Rabbi, an Imam.
* Community-based religious organizations can provide supportive care to families and patients and nurses need to be
aware of these resources.
When completing the FICA tool for spiritual assessment, which questions should the nurse ask the patient? (Select all that apply.)
a. What things do you believe in that give meaning to life?
b. Are you connected with a faith center in your community?
c. How has your illness affected your personal beliefs?
d. When was the last time you have been to church?
e. What can I do for you?
ANS: A, B, C, E
The FICA tool for spiritual assessment stands for Faith or beliefs, Importance and influence, Community, and Address. “When was the last time you have been to church?” is not a question included in the FICA assessment. The patient may attend community activities, besides church, that foster his/her spiritual well-being.
Which are true statements about the definition of spirituality in nursing? (Select all that apply.)
a. Patient’s quality of life, health, and sense of wholeness are affected by
spirituality.
b. An exact definition was developed and adopted in the late 1980s.
c. Encompasses principle, an experience, attitudes, and belief regarding God
d. Head knowledge affects spirituality more than heart knowledge.
e. Mind, body, spirit, love, and caring are interconnected.
ANS: A, C, E
The concept of Spirituality is an elusive concept to define. Authors who write about spirituality in nursing advocate the position that a patient’s quality of life, health, and sense of wholeness are affected by spirituality, yet still the profession of nursing struggles to define it. Why? There are a number of explanations for this. One explanation is that spirituality represents “heart” not “head” knowledge and “heart” knowledge is difficult to encapsulate into words. A second explanation is that spirituality is unique to each person so a precise definition is somewhat elusive. The definitions of spirituality encompass the following: a principle, an experience, attitudes and belief regarding God, a sense of God, the inner person. Most descriptions of spirituality include not only transcendence but also the connection of mind, body, and spirit, plus love, caring, and compassion and a relationship with the Divine.
Which life events should the nurse recognize as being spiritually life changing? (Select all that apply.)
a. Births
b. Weddings
c. Medical diagnoses
d. Career day to day job duties
e. Loss of independence
ANS: A, B, C, E
The meaning and significance of the event might only be experienced by one individual; others who might be participants in the event might be left virtually untouched and unchanged. These life changing spiritual events include just about any occurrence that has intense and personal relevance to those involved in the event. Examples of spiritually life changing events include births, deaths, weddings, divorces, illnesses, diagnoses, and loss of abilities, loss of independence, death and so many more. These events, having the power to change individuals and families, also have the power to draw people toward the transcendent—for many people that transcendent is known as God but this is not universal. Day-to-day activities are not the best examples of spiritually life changing events.
