Spiritual care and patient care
The most critical time to incorporate spiritual care into the management of a patient is when they are experiencing loneliness in the middle of their disease process or going through live altering circumstances. I have come across multiple elderly patients who just want to be heard or need a word of encouragement. I have offered to pray for some of them depending on their belief systems, and most of them appreciate the gesture.
According to Koenig H. G. (2012) "religion provides resources for coping with stress that may increase the frequency of positive emotions and reduce the likelihood that stress will result in emotional disorders such as depression, anxiety disorder, suicide, and substance abuse".
How to incorporate spirituality into the Family Nurse Practitioner practice?
The use of a depression screening tool in the assessment of patients is useful and honestly, live-saving in some instances. According to the U.S. Preventive Services TaskForce (USPSTF) and American Academy of Family Physicians "screening for depression in the general adult population is recommended, and screening should be implemented with adequate systems in place to ensure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and appropriate follow-up" Maurer, D. M., Raymond, T. J., & Davis, B. N. (2018).
There are multiple ways in which NPs can aid a patient in distress. However, the most vital intervention is demonstrating genuine interest in their concerns and intervening accordingly.
References
Maurer, D. M., Raymond, T. J., & Davis, B. N. (2018). Depression: Screening and Diagnosis. American Family Physician, 98(8), 508–515.
Tanyi, R., McKenzie, M., & Chapek, C. (2009). How family practice physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants incorporate spiritual care in practice. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 21(12), 690-697.
Koenig H. G. (2012). Religion, spirituality, and health: the research and clinical implications. ISRN psychiatry, 2012, 278730.
According to Koenig H. G. (2012) "religion provides resources for coping with stress that may increase the frequency of positive emotions and reduce the likelihood that stress will result in emotional disorders such as depression, anxiety disorder, suicide, and substance abuse".
How to incorporate spirituality into the Family Nurse Practitioner practice?
- Have reading material readily available for patients
- Incorporate brief spiritual assessment tool into my everyday patient interaction
- Display a genuine and caring attitude
- Encourage the use of existing spiritual practices
- Document spiritual care for continuity of care
- Manage perceived barriers to spiritual care
- Incorporating Screening tools
The use of a depression screening tool in the assessment of patients is useful and honestly, live-saving in some instances. According to the U.S. Preventive Services TaskForce (USPSTF) and American Academy of Family Physicians "screening for depression in the general adult population is recommended, and screening should be implemented with adequate systems in place to ensure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and appropriate follow-up" Maurer, D. M., Raymond, T. J., & Davis, B. N. (2018).
There are multiple ways in which NPs can aid a patient in distress. However, the most vital intervention is demonstrating genuine interest in their concerns and intervening accordingly.
References
Maurer, D. M., Raymond, T. J., & Davis, B. N. (2018). Depression: Screening and Diagnosis. American Family Physician, 98(8), 508–515.
Tanyi, R., McKenzie, M., & Chapek, C. (2009). How family practice physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants incorporate spiritual care in practice. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 21(12), 690-697.
Koenig H. G. (2012). Religion, spirituality, and health: the research and clinical implications. ISRN psychiatry, 2012, 278730.
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