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Attitudes Toward Spirituality and Spiritual Care among Iranian Nurses and Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

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Abstract

Addressing spiritual needs is taken into account as an integral part of holistic health care and also an important component of nursing practice. The aim of present study is to evaluate attitudes toward spirituality and spiritual care among nurses and nursing students at Semnan University of Medical Sciences in Iran. In this cross-sectional study, all nurses (n = 180) working in the teaching hospitals affiliated to Semnan University of Medical Sciences as well as senior nursing students (n = 50) selected by the census method. Finally, 168 individuals meeting the inclusion criteria were evaluated as the study sample. The data collection instrument was the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale. The mean and standard deviation scores of attitudes toward spirituality and spiritual care among nurses and nursing students were 59 ± 10.9, and the scores obtained by the majority of study population (64.3%) ranged between 32 and 62 which were at a moderate and relatively desirable level. Nurses and nursing students working in aforementioned hospitals reported positive attitudes to spirituality and spiritual care. Given the importance of spiritual care and also the moderate level of spirituality and spiritual care among nurses and nursing students in this study, institutionalization of the concept of spirituality, provision of an appropriate context to deliver such care, and also implementation of interventions in order to improve spiritual care along with other nursing skills were assumed of utmost importance.

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Acknowledgements

This article was derived from a research project approved by the Student Research Committee with the code number 942 at Semnan University of Medical Sciences. The authors hereby express their thanks to the Vice Chancellor’s Office for Research and Technology for their financial supports. As well, the Clinical Development and Research Centers in the teaching hospitals of Kowsar and Amir-al-Moemenin (AS) affiliated to Semnan University of Medical Sciences are appreciated for the approval and provision of facilities for the present study. We are also sincerely grateful to all the nurses and nursing students participating in this research study.

Funding

This study was funded by the Semnan University of Medical Sciences (Grant No. 942).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nursing Care Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

    Hassan Babamohamadi

  2. Open Heart Operating Room, Kowsar Hospital, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

    Mahsa-Sadat Ahmadpanah

  3. Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

    Raheb Ghorbani

Authors
  1. Hassan Babamohamadi
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  2. Mahsa-Sadat Ahmadpanah
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  3. Raheb Ghorbani
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Correspondence to Hassan Babamohamadi.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Babamohamadi, H., Ahmadpanah, MS. & Ghorbani, R. Attitudes Toward Spirituality and Spiritual Care among Iranian Nurses and Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Relig Health 57, 1304–1314 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0485-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0485-y

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