8 Assessing spiritual needs in a hospice setting: all talk and no trousers
Authors: Bradley Victoria , Gutjahr Jessica , Young Katherine , Dawe Rhys 
Published: May 2024

Introduction

The rhetoric of Palliative Care encompasses physical, psychological, social and spiritual domains.1However, this last element is often the most contentious in both definition and application2–4and has often been neglected in practice to the detriment of patient quality of life.5–7

Aim

Despite evidence that significant numbers of patients wish to discuss spirituality with their healthcare team,8–10and a corporate commitment to spiritual care11an audit of practice locally demonstrated the majority did not have assessment of spiritual need on admission to the hospice.12This study aimed to understand this low enquiry rate by exploring potential barriers to a health care worker undertaking spiritual assessment.

Method

Five focus groups were conducted and recorded over 5 months – 2 with nursing staff, 2 with junior doctors and 1 with senior management. The audio records were transcribed verbatim and subject to thematic analysis.

Results

This study suggests four over-arching themes obstructing spiritual assessment:

• lack of understanding of concepts of spirituality

• dissonance of spiritual issues with healthcare culture

• social discomfort with the concept of spirituality

• personal discomfort with the topic of spirituality

Conclusion

This study supports and expands on the published literature,13,14and attempts to create a taxonomy of obstacles to spiritual assessment and care. Recognition of and education around these themes has been undertaken in an attempt to improve rates of spiritual assessment on admission, but re-audit has yet to show any positive improvement.15Effecting change in spiritual assessment and care to meet the rhetoric remains a challenge.

References

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. Sir Michael Sobell House Hospice [Internet] 2017 [cited 1st March 2017]. Available from: www.sobellhouse.org.

. Bradley V, Young K, Dawe R. Audit of Documentation to establish rates of spiritual assessment of patients on admission to Sir Michael Sobell House Hospice 2015.

. Balboni MJ, Sullivan A, Enzinger AC, Epstein-Peterson ZD, Tseng YD, Mitchell C, et al. Nurse and physician barriers to spiritual care provision at the end of life. J Pain Symptom Manage 2014;48(3):400–10.

. Steinhauser KE, Voils CI, Clipp EC, Bosworth HB, Christakis NA, Tulsky JA. “Are you at peace?”: one item to probe spiritual concerns at the end of life. Arch Intern Med 2006;166(1):101–5.

. Bradley V, Gutjahr J. Re-Audit of Documentation to establish rates of spiritual assessment of patients on admission to Sir Michael Sobell House Hospice 2016.