Unpacking characteristics of spirituality through the lens of persons of colour living with serious illness: The need for nurse-based education to increase understanding of the spiritual dimension in healthcare.
Kerith Earlix, Nadia Shive, Heather Coats
PMID 34601788WHAT IT FOUND
Twenty patients of colour with serious illness named religion, family and self as major sources of spirituality.
Nurses can ask about these areas, but this small study did not test spiritual care or outcomes.
Key findings
01The major themes were religion, self and family; minor themes were community, nature, art and music, and literature did not emerge.
02Ninety percent of participants described religious beliefs as important in sustaining them during serious illness, and family was an important theme for all 20 participants.
03Six participants expressed spiritual distress related to wanting to be fully in charge of their lives, such as not being in control of illness, needing others to care for them, not being able to work, or being seen as sick.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Twenty participants from one academic hospital in the western United States, so the themes may not represent all patients of colour with serious illness. The sample was purposive and only included patients who could read English and give informed consent. The interviews were originally collected for a parent study about a narrative intervention, not specifically to test spiritual care. Minor themes may have been underrepresented because they were not directly asked about in the interview guide. Participants had different illnesses and treatments, which may affect how illness and spirituality are experienced. The analysis used a pre-set broad definition of spirituality, so other meanings or domains may have been missed. No patient outcomes or nursing interventions were tested.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that nurse education or spiritual assessment improves patient outcomes. This was a qualitative analysis of 20 patient interviews and did not test an intervention or outcome. Do not assume the themes apply to all patients of colour with serious illness.