THE INFLUENCE OF NURSES' SPIRITUALITY ON SPIRITUAL CARE COMPETENCE IN NURSING PRACTICE: A SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract

Introduction: Spiritual care is a crucial aspect of nursing practice aimed at enhancing the holistic well-being of patients. Nurses play a central role in providing spiritual care, yet its effectiveness is influenced by their level of spirituality. Several studies indicate that nurses with a higher level of spirituality are more capable of delivering high-quality spiritual care. However, the implementation of spiritual care in nursing still faces various challenges, including a lack of formal training, time constraints, and differing perceptions regarding the concept of spirituality in healthcare services. Therefore, further exploration is needed to understand the influence of nurses' spirituality on their competence in providing spiritual care in nursing practice. Methods: This study employs a scoping review methodology based on the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines and PRISMA-ScR framework. A literature search was conducted in academic databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and CINAHL, covering studies published between 2014 and 2024. From an initial identification of 850 articles, a rigorous selection process based on inclusion and exclusion criteria resulted in 45 articles being chosen for further analysis. The studies analyzed include various research designs, encompassing quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches, to provide a comprehensive mapping of the relationship between nurses' spirituality and their competence in spiritual care.  Results: The review findings indicate that nurses' spirituality significantly influences their competence in delivering spiritual care. Nurses with a higher level of spirituality tend to be more confident in recognizing and responding to patients' spiritual needs. Additionally, nurses' spiritual care competence is also affected by factors such as institutional support, formal training, and clinical experience. However, several key barriers have been identified, including a lack of awareness among nurses about the importance of spiritual care, limitations in clinical guidelines, and varying interpretations of spirituality across different healthcare systems.

Conclusion: Nurses' spirituality plays a vital role in enhancing their competence in providing spiritual care within nursing practice. Therefore, integrating spiritual care training into nursing education curricula and developing evidence-based policies to support its implementation are essential. Furthermore, additional research is needed to explore the long-term impact of nurses' spirituality on the quality of care and patient well-being.…