Enhancing nurses' knowledge in fulfilling spiritual needs in critical care patients

Abstract

A state of despair and helplessness often occurs in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit, impacting their psychological and spiritual well-being, especially in patients with decreased consciousness and those who are intubated. Several studies have highlighted the lack of knowledge among nurses in providing spiritual care to critically ill, intubated, and incapacitated patients. Nurses have reported difficulties in implementing spiritual care nursing and a lack of available information. The aim of this community service activity was to provide nurses with an understanding of spiritual care in nursing care for critically ill patients in order to optimize their knowledge, role, and abilities in caring for these patients. The community service activity was conducted using mentoring, discussion, question-and-answer sessions, and demonstrations facilitated by both the facilitators and participants, followed by monitoring and evaluation after the activity. The results of the community service activity showed a 33% increase in nurses' knowledge (from 62% to 95%) about meeting the spiritual needs of critically ill patients.