Can Spirituality be Taught to Health Care Professionals?

Although people with life-limiting conditions report a desire to have spiritual concerns addressed, there is evidence that these issues are often avoided by health care professionals in palliative care. This study reports on the longitudinal outcomes of four workshops purpose-designed to improve the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of religion and health 2012-09, Vol.51 (3), p.879-889
Main Authors: Meredit, Pamela, Murray, Judith, Wilson, Trish, Mitchell, Geoff, Hutch, Richard
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aging
Clinical Psychology
Depressive disorders
Education, Continuing
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Inservice Training
Job stress
Male
Medical personnel
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Middle Aged
Nurses
Occupational therapy
Original Paper
Palliative Care
Perception tests
Pilot Projects
Professional-Patient Relations
Public Health
Queensland
Questionnaires
Religiosity
Religious Studies
Spiritual belief systems
Spirituality
Workplaces
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Summary:Although people with life-limiting conditions report a desire to have spiritual concerns addressed, there is evidence that these issues are often avoided by health care professionals in palliative care. This study reports on the longitudinal outcomes of four workshops purpose-designed to improve the spiritual knowledge and confidence of 120 palliative care staff in Australia. Findings revealed significant increases in Spirituality, Spiritual Care, Personalised Care, and Confidence in this field immediately following the workshops. Improvements in Spiritual Care and Confidence were maintained 3 month later, with Confidence continuing to grow. These findings suggest that attendance at a custom-designed workshop can significantly improve knowledge and confidence to provide spiritual care.
ISSN:0022-4197
1573-6571
DOI:10.1007/s10943-010-9399-7