Patients' perceptions of spirituality and the nurse as a spiritual care provider

This qualitative study explored patients' perceptions of spirituality and of the nurse as a spiritual care provider. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 8 adults older than 21, who were living at home, and had been discharged from the hospital within the past 3 months having had at least a 5-day length of stay. Participants agreed that during their hospitalization, nurses were kind and caring but these behaviors were not perceived as spiritual care. Study findings suggest that patients do not perceive spiritual care within the role of nursing and therefore they did not share their spiritual concerns with nurses. Study findings are limited by sample size; however, implications for practice are that nurses need to be aware of a patient's spiritual needs to provide spiritual care.