Spirituality P/P 35 Flashcards
Spirituality and Spiritual Health
- What gives you energy during difficult times?
- Which aspects of your spirituality have been most helpful to you?
- Which aspects of your spirituality would you like to discuss?
Faith, Belief, Fellowship, and Community
• To what or whom do you look as a source of strength, hope, or faith in
times of difficulty?
• How does your faith help you cope?
• Do you use prayer?
• What can I do to support your religious beliefs or faith commitment?
• What gives your life meaning?
Life and Self-Responsibility
- How do you feel about the changes this illness has caused?
* How do these changes affect what you now need to do?
Life Satisfaction
- How happy or satisfied are you with your life?
* What accomplishments help you feel satisfied with your life?
Connectedness
- What feelings do you have after you pray?
* Who do you feel is the most important person in your life?
Vocation
• How has your illness affected the way you live your life spiritually at home
or where you work?
• In what way has your illness affected your ability to express what is
important in life to you?
In establishing a plan of care, an example
of a goal and associated outcomes follows:
The patient will improve personal harmony and connections
with members of his or her support system.
• The patient will express an acceptance of illness.
• The patient will report the ability to rely on family members
for support.
• The patient will initiate social interactions with family and
friends.
When outcomes are not met, ask questions to
determine appropriate continuing care. Examples of questions to
ask include the following:
• Do you feel the need to forgive someone or to be forgiven
by someone?
• What spiritual activities such as prayer or meditation were
helpful in the past?
• Would you like for me to ask a friend, family member, or
someone from pastoral care to talk with you?
• What can I do to help you feel more at peace?
• Sometimes people need to give themselves permission to feel
hope when they experience difficult events. What can you do
to allow yourself to feel hope again?
Jose continues to regularly visit the human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
FIG. 35-6 Critical thinking model for spiritual health evaluation. clinic. The nurse wants to incorporate a spiritual assessmentwith the physical assessment. During the assessment the nurse
asks Jose if he has any questions. Jose asks her about a Buddhist
ritual that he heard about from a friend. The nurse has not
heard about that ritual before and states, “I’m not sure what
you’re asking about. After we’re finished here, I’ll try to get some
information for you.” In this interaction the nurse is exhibiting
the attitude for critical thinking known as _________.
- The nurse is exhibiting humility. The nurse practices humility when he or she admits limitations in knowledge and desires to find information needed.
Jose’s mother comes with Jose to a clinic visit. During the visit
the nurse asks Jose’s mother, “Which spiritual activities are part
of your life?” Jose’s mother responds that she goes to daily Mass,
listens to religious music, and spends time praying while she sits
in her garden. When asked if there is anything the nurse can do
for Jose’s mother, she responds that she would like to meet with
a priest while she is visiting Jose. She then states, “My biggest
concern is remaining strong for Jose. It is so hard to watch your
child die.” Which nursing diagnosis is appropriate for Jose’s
mother at this time?
- Readiness for enhanced spiritual well-being related to desire for enhanced coping. Jose’s mother’s comments reflect that she has resources on which to draw in this situation and desires to remain strong during this difficult time.
Jose is too ill to come to the clinic. He now is being seen every
other day by the hospice team. Jose’s family and his partner,
Will, are at his side. Describe two nursing interventions
the hospice nurse could implement to enhance the family’s
connectedness.
- (a) Encourage Will and Jose’s family to pray with Jose; and (b) help Jose, Will, and Jose’s family find meaning in their suffering. Praying together and finding meaning in difficult times help to enhance connectedness.
An emergency department nurse is caring for a patient who
was severely injured in a car accident. The patient’s family is
in the waiting room. They are crying softly. The nurse sits
down next to the family, takes the mother’s hand, and says,
“I can only imagine how you’re feeling. What can I do to help
you feel more at peace right now?” In this example the nurse
is demonstrating:
The nurse demonstrates presence in this situation by establishing a therapeutic relationship and being with the mother during a particularly stressful time.
As the nurse cares for a patient in an outpatient clinic, the
patient states that he recently lost his position as a volunteer
coordinator at a local community center. He expresses that he
is angry with his former boss and with God. The nurse knows
that the priority at this time is to assess the patient’s spirituality
in relation to his:
Many people express their spirituality through their vocation, which can include volunteer positions
A patient who is hospitalized with heart failure states that she
sees her illness as an opportunity and a challenge. Despite her
illness, she is still able to see that life is worth living. This is an
example of:
Hope refers to an energizing source that is oriented to future goals and outcomes. Faith allows people to have firm beliefs despite lack of physical evidence; in this situation the patient is energized by the future and has hope that it will be positive despite her heart failure.
Which of the following statements made by an older adult
whose husband recently died most indicates the need for
follow-up by the nurse?
1. “I planted a tree at church in my husband’s honor.”
2. “I have been unable to talk with my children lately.”
3. “My friends think that I need to go to a grief support
group.”
4. “I believe that someday I’ll meet my husband in heaven.”
Feelings of connectedness are important for the older adult; this statement indicates that this woman is having difficulty staying connected with her children, who are potentially an important resource for the woman
