Part 1 : Interview
Qn1. Do you consider yourself a spiritual person?
A. Yes. I've been a Catholic all my life.
Qn2. How do you express your spirituality?
A. By attending Sunday services and by giving offerings to the church. I also pray with the rosary when I'm on my own.
Qn3. Does your faith or acts of spirituality strengthen you in times of ill health?
A. Yes. It is a source of comfort and strength. Praying and reading through the Bible helps me to see that illness is not a punishment from God. It helps me appreciate the times when I'm in good health and in no pain.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Qn4. Would you like an opportunity to have access to a place of worship during your stay in hospital?
A. Not really but I would like my church's represntative to be informed of my admission at the hospital. I gain comfort from praying with a priest or a sister at the side of my bed. I would like to talk to such a person during my time here. I would also like to interact with other patients with a similar religion.
Qn5. Are there any forms of treatment that you feel violate your faith?
A. Voluntary euthanasia and abortion but not all circumstances are black and white. My church opposes contraceptives but I don't practice that aspect.
Qn6. Are there any palliative care practices that your faith is uncomfortable with?
A. Not that I know of but I would appreciate detailed information on the treatment options available to me. Faith should be given a more active role.
Qn7. Would you want a faith based physician to guide you through the details of your diagnosis and treatment?
A. I have no preference for either. My main interest is a qualified specialist.
Qn8. In which ways should healthcare providers meet the spiritual needs of their patients?
A. By providing spiritual books such as the Bible and Quran so that patients can get the support they need during treatment. Availing a place of worship is also necessary for those willing to partake in the worship services. Providing alternatives in cases where religion raise a conflict is also ideal.
Qn9. What spiritual activities provided by the hospital do you consider intrusive or unnecessary?
Evangelists and outreach counsellors who are allowed into the patients rooms should be controlled. A patient should be able to give his consent before such visitors are allowed into the rooms.
Qn10. What else provides you with strength and comfort during illness?
A. The company of friends and family.
Part 2: Analysis
The results above are those of a 56 year old, male, black patient. He is a Christian. The patient in question was a cordial patient with a pleasant disposition. The interview went well as he was willing to speak about his faith. His responses were brief and to the point. The questions asked were simple and open ended. This allowed the patient to give honest opinions as well as to safeguard his privacy while providing answers. The interview was met with some challenges because of the presence of the patient’s wife. She was more eager to answer the questions for him and this factor led to the interview being postponed. The questions proceeded smoothly in a private interview. However, the patient had a medical condition that made him unable to sit up for extended periods of time. The patient was also a bit lonely so he talked for as long as he could. This means that sometimes he went off topic and began stories about his family and work. This took a considerable time and effort to bring the conversation back to the initial topic. This plus the illness also made collection of data longer than with other patients. However, the answers he provided were more open than some of the other patients (Spiritual assessment tool, 2018).
One of the things observed across the board was that the patients sometimes answered questions 1 and 2 at the same time. This feedback will be use to combine the two questions into one in order to shorten the interview time. Additionally, the questionnaire was a bit limiting for those patients who do not practice any faith. In future, the questionnaire will be adjusted to include three sections. The response to question 1 will then guide the interviewer to which section should be filled. Those patients who are faith conscious or practicing adherence to a deity will be required to fill section B only. They will answer the questions found in the questionnaire above as well as any other additional information that will be needed. A space will be left at the end of section B for the patient to write any comment that may not covered by a part of the questionnaire.
Section C will be the additional section that will collect views on the atheists perception on the need to provide spiritual support in health care facilities. The section will collect views on what the atheists would like the hospital to offer them in terms of spiritual nourishment. The atheists would also be required to demonstrate how the presence of a place of worship will affect them. This will need to show whether they approve or disapprove of worship services within the wards. An example is the presence of two patients sharing a room. If one patient is a practicing Christian and the other is an atheist, will the atheist be uncomfortable with his room mate praying? It will also be necessary to collect data on the boundaries that such patients should maintain towards each other. This is important for maintaining cordial relations between the entire community. Basically, the end adjustments should make the life of both atheists and theists more comfortable. The changes should not favor one demographic or religious group over another.
This assessment tool provides the necessary information to improve the patients spiritual experience while he is receiving health care. Health care facilities can meet the needs of their patients by providing rooms where the patient can worship. The worship services should be voluntary and any clergy or minister should get the consent of the patient before involving them in acts of worship. These worship sessions should be open to family members who will offer additional support. Atheists should also have access to whatever offes them comfort and solace. The patients should also be allowed to keep objects that assist them to practice their faith. They include tools such as books of faith, rosaries, prayer mats and any other objects that do not interfere with the rights of other patients (Austin et al., 2016).
Illness and stress amplify the spiritual awareness and concerns of the interviewees. An assessment gives an insight into the comfort that sick persons need when they feel that their physical condition is beyond their control. At such times many turn to a higher power because he gives them hope of better outcomes. Embracing faith also makes it easier for a dying patient to improve their psychological condition. Faith gives a patient an easier transition through palliative care. They face the future with more confidence and some even seem to be in better condition before dying (Peterman et al., 2014). An example is a patient who was in his last days of treatment. The doctors had made it clear that there was no further treatment that would cure his condition. He went into a state of depression after the doctor gave him his diagnosis. However, after a few sessions with his spiritual authority, he was able to accept his condition. The rest of his days were spent in pleasant activities with his friends and family.
References
Austin, P. D., Macleod, R., Siddall, P. J., McSherry, W., & Egan, R. (2016). The Ability of Hospital Staff to Recognise and Meet Patients’ Spiritual Needs: A Pilot Study. Journal for the Study of Spirituality , 6 (1), 20-37.
Peterman, A. H., Reeve, C. L., Winford, E. C., Cotton, S., Salsman, J. M., McQuellon, R., & Campbell, C. (2014). Measuring meaning and peace with the FACIT–Spiritual Well-Being Scale: Distinction without a difference?. Psychological assessment , 26 (1), 127.
Spiritual assessment. (2018). The Joint Commission. Retrieved from https://www.jointcommission.org/standards_information/jcfaqdetails.aspx?StandardsFaqId=1492&ProgramId=46
