Attitude toward Spirituality, Spiritual Care, and its Relationship with Mental Health among Intensive Care Nurses

Background and Objectives: Spirituality and spiritual care, as essential components of holistic nursing care, are widely recognized, while spiritual aspect is still overlooked. Spirituality has been associated with the caregiver’s sense of well-being and ability to cope. The aim of this study was to determine attitude of intensive care nurses toward spirituality and spiritual care and its relationship with mental health. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on ۵۵ nurses working in the Intensive Care Units of educational hospitals in Qom, ۲۰۱۴. Tools of study include measures of Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-۱۲). Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, independent t-test, and ANOVA in the statistical software SPSS, ver. ۱۶. Results: There were ۱۰.۲% male and ۸۹.۸ % female nurses; age ranged from ۲۱ to ۴۶ years, with a mean age of ۲۹ (SD=۲.۶۷). Mean and standard deviation attitude score of spirituality and spiritual care in nursing were ۵۵.۹۵ and ۷.۶۶, respectively. Among the demographic variables of age (r=۰.۴۹۱), and work experience (r=.۴۹۶) were significant correlation with the perception of spirituality and spiritual care. Also, there were significant and direct correlations between spirituality and spiritual care and general health (r=۰.۳۴۸). Conclusion: Our finding indicated that attitudes toward spirituality and spiritual care in the intensive care nurses were moderate. According to the direct relationship between attitudes toward spirituality and spiritual care and mental health, there should be a significant focus on strengthening spirituality in nursing care in intensive care, education, and acculturation in the area of religious and spiritual activities among nursing students.  

Keywords:

Intensive Care Nurses , Mental Health , Spiritual Care , Spirituality. , ۱ , ۲* , ۲ , ۲