The concept of spiritual health from the viewpoint of nurses working in intensive care units

Based on a holistic model of health care, human beings have biological, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions, which should be considered in the provision of comprehensive care. Given the fact that spiritual health coordinates different aspects of human life, we aimed to explore the viewpoints of nurses working in intensive care units about the concept of spiritual well-being. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a random sample of nurses (n=62), working in the intensive care unit during 2014-2015. Data were collected, using a questionnaire consisting of demographic characteristics and statements evaluating nurses’ attitudes towards spiritual health. Face and content validity of the questionnaire were confirmed, and its reliability was assessed by Cronbach’s alpha. Descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated, using tests such as Chi-square, t-test and ANOVA. For data analysis, SPSS version 17 was used. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age and work experience of nurses were 32.5±9.21 and 12.1±1.9 years, respectively. The obtained results showed that 33 (53.2%), 17 (27.4%) and 12 (19.3%) nurses had good, moderate and poor attitudes towards spiritual well-being, respectively. According to ANOVA test results, spiritual care was significantly correlated with nurses’ age and work experience (P<0.05). Conclusion: Considering the positive attitude of our participants towards spiritual well-being and the importance of spiritual dimension in nursing care, besides physical and mental aspects, continuous educational workshops on spiritual care are recommended for promoting nursing skills.