Natural disasters such as hurricane and earthquakes or manmade catastrophes like wars within a community leave victims and survivors needing more than just health care administration to recovery from these tragic events. Providing spiritual care is among the duties of a nurse for patients in palliative conditions to connect with the patient’s pain of the soul so that they can understand the importance of health care administration and how to relate to health issues (Giske and Cone, 2015). The spiritual connection is what gives meaning and purpose to the patient’s health and life. The immediate aftermath of a disaster leaves the survivors in a state of chaos, panic, and fear which require community health nurses to prepare in administering non-health services.
Community health nurses need to show compassion in attending to victims of a disaster. In such cases putting the patient at the center of the experience is a way of providing holistic care and addressing spirituality as an obligation. Nurses should offer a purposeful presence and support the victims. Understand that the victim is the central purpose; therefore, listen to them more and talk less. Survivors may say violent things or show anger and anxiety but as a health provider, do not judge, confront or correct.
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Besides, community health nurses are familiar with the cultural practices of the affected survivors and therefore, recognizing and connecting with the victims’ spiritual needs is easier. Coordinating with religious leaders around the region and social government organizations can prove to be helpful. However, as a community health nurse, it is important to stay theologically neutral with the survivors even when their doctrines are contradicting to your beliefs. Catastrophic moments require supporting the victim for their recovery from the disaster and the aftermath care after undergoing medical recovery.
Reference
Giske, T., and, Cone, P. H. (2015). Discerning the Health Path: How Nurses Assist Patient Spirituality In Diverse Health Care Setting. Wiley Online Library. Retrieved 19 April 2019 from, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jocn.12907
