Abstract
Although people with life-limiting conditions report a desire to have spiritual concerns addressed, there is evidence that these issues are often avoided by health care professionals in palliative care. This study reports on the longitudinal outcomes of four workshops purpose-designed to improve the spiritual knowledge and confidence of 120 palliative care staff in Australia. Findings revealed significant increases in Spirituality, Spiritual Care, Personalised Care, and Confidence in this field immediately following the workshops. Improvements in Spiritual Care and Confidence were maintained 3 month later, with Confidence continuing to grow. These findings suggest that attendance at a custom-designed workshop can significantly improve knowledge and confidence to provide spiritual care.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of The Australian Department of Health and Ageing Local Palliative Care Grants—Pastoral Care Counselling and Support Sub-Program. We would also like to express our appreciation to the participants of the workshops who completed several questionnaires and to the people with terminal illnesses, their families, and palliative care workers, who agreed to be interviewed and videoed for the purpose of developing this training package.
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Meredith, P., Murray, J., Wilson, T. et al. Can Spirituality be Taught to Health Care Professionals?. J Relig Health 51, 879–889 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-010-9399-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-010-9399-7