Please ensure that the Reply includes more than 200 words with scholarly articles, and the plagiarism level must remain below 20%.

Evaluating Spirituality in Nursing Practice

      Spirituality is a fundamental aspect of patient-centered care, significantly impacting how individuals cope with illness and make health-related decisions. Over time, healthcare professionals have developed structured approaches to assess spiritual needs, ensuring that these concerns are addressed as part of holistic nursing practice. Several validated tools assist nurses in evaluating patients’ spiritual well-being and integrating this dimension into care planning.

     One widely used assessment method is the FICA Spiritual History Tool, developed to guide clinicians in exploring a patient’s spiritual beliefs and their role in health. This model focuses on four key areas: personal faith, the importance of spirituality in daily life, connections to a religious or spiritual community, and how these beliefs influence medical decisions (Puchalski, 2020). By incorporating this approach into patient assessments, nurses can gain valuable insight into an individual’s values and preferences related to their care.

      Another recognized framework is the HOPE Spiritual Assessment Tool, which facilitates discussions about spiritual concerns. The acronym HOPE represents sources of hope, engagement in organized religion, personal spirituality and practices, and the impact of these beliefs on healthcare choices (Anandarajah & Hight, 2021). This method is particularly beneficial for patients receiving palliative or end-of-life care, as it allows nurses to explore existential concerns and provide appropriate support tailored to the patient’s needs.

      Additionally, the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) is a standardized questionnaire that measures an individual’s overall spiritual wellness. This tool evaluates both religious well-being—reflecting one’s connection with a higher power—and existential well-being, which pertains to finding meaning and purpose in life (Bufford et al., 2022). The SWBS is particularly useful for identifying individuals experiencing spiritual distress, especially those managing chronic illnesses or facing significant life transitions.

         Utilizing these tools allows nurses to deliver compassionate and holistic care by addressing spiritual dimensions that influence patient well-being. Acknowledging and supporting a patient’s spiritual concerns fosters emotional resilience, enhances coping mechanisms, and strengthens the nurse-patient relationship. Integrating spirituality into nursing practice ultimately contributes to a more comprehensive and meaningful approach to healthcare.

References

Anandarajah, G., & Hight, E. (2021). Spirituality and medical practice: Using the HOPE questions as a practical tool. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 24(3), 456-462. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2021.0093

Bufford, R. K., Paloutzian, R. F., & Ellison, C. W. (2022). The Spiritual Well-Being Scale: A psychometric review and applications in health care. Journal of Religion and Health, 61(2), 765-779. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01374-8

Puchalski, C. M. (2020). The FICA spiritual history tool: Clinical application in holistic nursing care. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 38(1), 12-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898010119895363

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Bj week 4

Surgical site infection (SSI) rates have increased significantly at your hospital. As the unit manager, you have been tasked with reviewing the literature and making subsequent recommendations to determine if a chlorhexidine/alcohol combination skin scrub prior to surgery will decrease your SSI rates as compared to your current practice of betadine skin scrub. 

For this assignment:

• Create a PICOT question based on the information above. Possible question guides can be found here. 
• Research your PICOT question using at least 4 peer-reviewed journals. Sources should be less than 5 years old.
• Create an APA-formatted annotated bibliography of the references you used to research your PICOT question. Use this template.
• Create your PICOT question on a Word document and an annotated bibliography on the provided template. Submit both documents in a single upload.
• The Writing Center. or Purdue OWL have resources to help with APA formatting and the annotated bibliography.