What it means
The beliefs and values that give a person's life meaning. It may include a religion, with its practices and community, but it does not have to. Spirituality often matters most during illness, loss and the end of life. When illness shakes a person's beliefs or sense of meaning, nurses call it spiritual distress.
For the nurse
Ask open questions about what gives the client strength and what beliefs or practices matter to them. Make room for prayer, rituals and visitors, offer a chaplain, and respect beliefs that differ from your own.
At a glance
| Spanish | espiritualidad |
|---|
Related terms
patient-centered care
Care planned around the client's own needs, values and choices, with the client as a full partner in decisions.
support group
A group of people with the same health problem or life experience who meet to share feelings, advice and encouragement.