Moral agency and spirituality in palliative care

Hospice and Palliative Medicine International Journal, 2017

Background: Palliative care and spirituality are still very little discussed, but when studied and applied they become capable of alleviating some of the dimensions of suffering of man. Objective: To evaluate the understanding of health professionals about the concept of assistance to patients under palliative care and spirituality, as well as the application of techniques to alleviate the spiritual suffering for these patients. Method: This study used questionnaires in 91 professionals that work in the palliative care area (doctors, nurses and psychologists, chaplains), with at least three years of experience, regardless of gender. Results: The study shows a divergence in the work of professionals of the multidisciplinary staff, as well as the difficulty in addressing issues of spirituality. Conclusion: The palliative care and spirituality provide relief to many suffering patients, it is important to have health professionals aligned in concepts and prepared to use it in clinical practice.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021

Spirituality is the most unknown aspect of palliative care despite being the need that is most altered in the last moments of life. Objective. To identify on the one hand the spiritual needs of patients who are at the end of life and on the other hand, the way in which nursing professionals can work to provide effective accompaniment in this process. Method. A qualitative study was conducted which applied different data collection techniques. This was done to describe the phenomenon from a holistic perspective in relation to experts’ perceptions of the competencies required by health professionals and palliative patients’ spiritual needs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted within both populations. In order to analyze the qualitative data collected through interviews, discourse was analyzed according to the Taylor–Bodgan model and processed using Atlas.ti software. Results. Three well-differentiated lines of argument are extracted from the discourse in each of the groups, on t...

Caritas et Veritas

The article deals with the importance of spirituality in the care of terminally ill patients. It is based on the assumption that the spiritual dimension is one of the basic dimensions of human existence and must be taken into account in the care of the sick. Subsequently, it presents a refl ection upon the current use of the term spirituality in the professional discourse of helping professions and points out certain diffi culties that appear in the defi nitions of spirituality. The next part presents a defi nition of spirituality which is based on both the theoretical refl ection of the concept and practical experience from a particular hospice facility.

Palliative Medicine, 2002

Published in Palliative Medicine, 2002, 16(2): 133-40.

Revista Bioética

The development of the care plan for patients under palliative care must be unique and comprehensive, seeking to meet, as far as possible, the patient’s needs. Within this plan, the spiritual and religious axis stands out. To analyze the importance of this type of approach, we carried out an integrative review study. The articles analyzed should answer the guiding question “what does the literature say about spirituality and religiosity in the approach to patients under palliative care?”. The sample comprised 15 articles that show the multidisciplinary nature of the theme and point out the benefits of combining the spiritual and religious axis with care plans. We observed, however, that some practices and religious aspects can negatively influence the individual and the professional team feels unprepared to address and develop this issue with its patients.

Annals of Psychophysiology, 2018

Background: Palliative care is the provision of end of life care to the patient with a terminal disease; its primary focus is on improving the quality of life rather than quantity of life. While palliative care emphasizes over physical body pain reduction, it also suggests psychological comfort and spiritual wellbeing. Several research studies corroborate that interventions are done to keep the patient mentally relaxed greatly affects the patient's bodily functions and reduces the sensation of pain. Case Presentation: In this case, the physical attributes were excellently managed but neglect was done in terms of mental and spiritual need that was evident through her verbalization of hopelessness and fear, that the disease condition is a severe punishment by God. In addition, the patient was less likely to socialize with people including friends and family. Therefore, this case has been investigated in light of multiple recent articles (2010-2015) and pointed out the evidenced-ba...

Chaplaincy Today, 2008

The Gerontologist, 2002

This article presents a model for research and practice that expands on the biopsychosocial model to include the spiritual concerns of patients. Design and Methods: Literature review and philosophical inquiry were used. Results: The healing professions should serve the needs of patients as whole persons. Persons can be considered beings-in-relationship, and illness can be considered a disruption in biological relationships that in turn affects all the other relational aspects of a person. Spirituality concerns a person's relationship with transcendence. 'therefore, genuinely holistic health care must address the totality of the patient's relational existence-physical, psychological, social, and spiritual. The literature suggests that many patients would like health professionals to attend to their spiritual needs, but health professionals must be morally cautious and eschew proselytizing in any form. Four general domains for measuring various aspects of spirituality are distinguished: religiosity, religious coping and support, spiritual well-being, and spiritual need. A framework for understanding the interactions between these domains i s presented. Available instruments are reviewed and critiqued. An agenda for research in the spiritual aspects of illness and care at the end of life i s proposed. Implications: Spiritual concerns are important to many patients, particularly at the end of life. Much work remains to be done in understanding the spiritual aspects of patient care and how to address spirituality in research and practice.

The Euthanasia Debate: Importance of Spiritual Care in End of life, 2019

Euthanasia is presented by its advocates as the panacea for all pain and suffering. The terminally ill who struggle with multiple symptoms of their illness were assured of relief, but what that relief translates into is the termination of life in what is known as mercy killing. So, there would be an end to pain and suffering. But, could we conclude there is an end (i.e., termination) to pain and suffering with the advocates of euthanasia when all that are done is taking out the individual who is the subject of that experiential reality and goes beyond that one individual to affecting countless lives? Besides, there are terminally ill people who decide to end their lives but would not have made that choice except for the offer put before them by the euthanasia advocates. However, that very reality is responsible for pain and suffering, either terminal illness or loss persists. It is for this reason that this paper adopts a contrary view from the above. I argue that terminally ill individuals grappling with symptoms of their condition do not need termination of life, but an intervention that strongly underscores being present to the individual in need. In other words, a care-giver must be present before there can be any meaningful care given to the patient. And I am using the pastoral care model in elaborating the notion of presence, as I equally elaborate the notion of healing presence that stresses the spiritual element of the human person whereby through our presence to the other, we thrive in times of adversity and illness by drawing strengths and courage from our connectedness, which is what the presence of pastoral care offers and equally assures the terminally ill in those moments of need.

Religions

This paper is written from the perspective of a specialist religious and spiritual care practitioner who practises in major referral hospitals in Sydney, Australia. In these hospitals, religious care and ward-based spiritual care chaplaincy services are offered in tandem. The perspective offered is based on the author’s knowledge, research, and experience in how people make the necessary religious or spiritual adjustments to their deep view of reality when faced with severe or chronic pain or terminal illness. Religious and/or Spiritual Care (R/SC) are interventions that scaffold people through a process of sense-making which helps them find meaning in their new reality. These R/SC adjustments concern conscious and unconscious beliefs about ultimate meaning, morality, justice, transcendence, and relationships within themselves, and with others and the supernatural. Palliative care practitioners described the importance of spiritual care and integrated spiritual care principles into ...