RCN spirituality survey
In March 2010 the RCN responded to some of the issues raised in the media by commissioning an online survey to ascertain its members’ perceptions and understandings of spirituality and spiritual care.
Two nurses who participated in the RCN spirituality survey said:
“Spiritual care is a fundamental part of nursing, currently much neglected through ignorance and misunderstanding. It is distinct from religious care or support for patients/clients faith needs, although these may make up part of spiritual care.”
“I believe that spiritual care is not only an essential component of nursing practice but often the arbiter of how a patient responds to their illness and life experiences. It would appear that when people encounter certain life events like serious trauma and illness, fundamental spiritual issues often emerge that question their very existence. If medicine involves the recovery of the body, then spiritual care as a core component of nursing, involves a recovery of the patient as a person. These areas do not sit in contention, but aim to complement each other and serve to remind us that ‘there is no profit in curing the body if in the process we destroy the soul’.”
Here are some key findings from the survey:
- 4054 members responded. This is the second largest response by members to any RCN online survey and indicates the importance that members place on the spiritual dimension of care.
- The largest proportion of respondents were from NHS hospitals and community (60.2 per cent) with staff nurses being the largest group represented (25.4 per cent). All levels of RCN membership participated including qualified nurses, nursing students and health care assistants/health care support workers.
- 93.5 per cent felt spiritual care involves the personal attitudes and disposition of the nurse in providing care such as showing kindness, concern and being cheerful.
- 95.5 per cent said that they had encountered patient(s) with spiritual needs with 41.4 per cent doing so on a daily basis. Only 3.5 per cent of nurses said they had not encountered a patient with a spiritual need.
- 92.2 per cent indicated that they are only ‘sometimes’ able to meet their patients’ spiritual needs.
- 83.4 per cent felt that spirituality and spiritual care are fundamental aspects of nursing care.
- 79.3 per cent felt that nurses do not receive sufficient education and training in spirituality and spiritual care.
- 78.8 per cent said that guidance and support should come from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
- 78.1 per cent felt that the RCN also has a responsibility in this area.
- 90 per cent agreed that providing spiritual care enhances the overall quality of nursing care.