Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the impact of nurses’ faith on their ability to provide the spiritual component of holistic care to patients in oncology. Ten nurses who have worked in oncology were interviewed to elicit their lived experiences with the phenomenon of faith. Interviews with study participants revealed that these nurses did identify with faith and they believe that their faith does impact their ability to provide spiritual care to patients in oncology. One theme identified through the interviews included the need to tread lightly when providing spiritual care so as to not offend patients. Another theme was that nurses experienced growth in their faith as a result of caring for patients in oncology. The final theme is the need for spiritual care education in nursing curricula and in continuing education. Implications for nursing practice include the need for nurses to be aware of their own personal faith, that patients in oncology especially require spiritual care, and the need to integrate spiritual care education into nursing curricula. Nurse leaders must be attentive to the need for spiritual care to be provided to patients, and must encourage their staff to provide this type of care. Nurse leaders in all types of healthcare facilities must promote continuing education in regards to spiritual care. Nurse educators and leaders must work together to ensure spiritual care is addressed for each patient, and should promote an interdisciplinary approach to this type of care.|Keywords: Spiritual Care, Holistic Care, Oncology, Faith, Education, Nurse Leaders