The Spiritual Needs of Ailing Hospitalized Patients: An Integrative Review

Abstract

Spirituality is intrinsic to human beings and is also manifest in association with illness, loss or when man is faced with suffering or death. Because those who are ill do not process the expression of spiritual needs the same way as healthy persons, their care requires thorough and professional intervention. Objectives: This study is designed to identify the spiritual needs of hospitalized patients and con- cepts of spirituality. Methodology: It involves an integrative review of ten quantitative studies on spiritual needs published from 2004 to 2011 in databases (EBSCO, MEDLINE, SAGE and B –ON). The guiding question was: What are the spiritual needs of a hospitalized person and the concepts of spirituality used in the selected studies? Results: An analysis of the articles revealed several spiritual needs; namely, the search for meaning in illness and suffering, and being in relationship with others and with God, signaling the obvious presence of values, spiritual beliefs, faith, hope and religious needs associated with the concepts of the meaning of life, relationships, transcendence and religious practices. Conclusions: Patients are able to express their spiritual needs through the most subtle of ways. Nurses must assess spiritual needs with an "open mind" and be able to provide the appropriate assistance.