Spirituality in Nursing Nurses are known for their care holistically.

They nurture every aspect of the human being. But do nurses touch the spiritual aspect of a person? Seldom do we see and experience a nurse who does that? Do they practice what they preach?
Spirituality according to has been defined in numerous ways. These include: a belief in a power operating in the universe that is greater than oneself, a sense of interconnectedness with all living creatures, and an awareness of the purpose and meaning of life and the development of personal, absolute values. It's the way you find meaning, hope, comfort, and inner peace in your life. Our own spiritual belief may not be the same as of other people. It is our own choice on what to believe in depending on how we were raised as a child and other factors such as the change in community or the influence of peers. There are times when the circumstances in our life would make us lose faith in our current religion. We face dilemmas and it can solved when we search for the right people to help us solved it.

Caring is innate in a human being.

According to O,Brien (Spirituality in Nursing 2003) there are three key activities for spiritual caring: being with patients in their experiences of pain, suffering, or other problems or needs; listening to patients verbally express anxieties or emotions, such as fear, anger, loneliness, depression, or sorrow, which may be hindering the achievement of wellness; and touching patients either physically, emotionally, or spiritually to assure them of their connectedness with other in the family of God. In and of themselves the acts of being with, listening to, or touching a patient may not constitute spiritual care. These behaviors, however, grounded in a nurses spiritual philosophy of life such as that articulated in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), take on the element of ministry; they constitute the nurses theology of caring.

Everyone has a spiritual dimension that motivates, energizes, and influences every aspect of life. Spirituality can be considered a basic human quality that transcends gender, race, color, and national origin. According to Savary (2006, Prayer Ways) spirituality is a persons way of being, thinking, choosing, and acting in the world in light of that persons ultimate values.
Spiritual practices tend to improve coping skills and social support, foster feelings of optimism and hope, promote healthy behavior, reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, and encourage a sense of relaxation. By alleviating

stressful feelings and promoting healing ones, spirituality can positively influence immune, cardiovascular (heart and blood vessels), hormonal, and nervous systems. An example of a religion that promotes a healthy lifestyle is Seventh Day Adventists. Those who follow this religion, a particularly healthy population, are instructed by their Church not to consume alcohol, eat pork, or smoke tobacco. In a 10 year study of Seventh Day Adventists in the Netherlands, researchers found that Adventist men lived 8.9 years longer than the national average, and Adventist women lived 3.6 years longer. For both men and women, the chance of dying from cancer or heart disease was 60 - 66% less, respectively, than the national average.

Spirituality often becomes more important in times of distress, emotional stress, physical and mental illness, loss,bereavement and the approach of death.

All health care tries to relieve pain and to cure - but good health care tries to do more. Spirituality emphasises the healing of the person, not just the disease. It views life as a journey, where good and bad experiences can help you to learn, develop and mature

References:

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/spirituality-000360.htm#ixzz1qye7NbjO Date retrieved: April 4, 2012 http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfo/treatments/spirituality.aspx Date retrieved: April 4, 2012 http://allnurses.com/nursing-articles/spirituality-in-nursing-646693.html Date retrieved: April 4, 2012 http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/spirituality-000360.htm#ixzz1qydrOVZF Date retrieved: April 4, 2012