Adrian Hardinges Staff Nurse Ty Olwen SPIRITUALITY AUDIT Adrian Hardinges Staff Nurse Ty Olwen

As medicine advances, we must strive to ensure that it becomes, not more mechanical, but more humane. After all, medicine exists for the sake of humanity. Daisaku Ikeda This is a presentation . . . .

Aims of the Audit How the MDT defined spirituality? How important was spirituality in the lives of staff? How was spirituality assessed with patients? Was this sufficient? If not, how could we improve?

Methodology Staff focused Semi structured interviews Questions adapted from Govier (2000), Burnard (1988) and Herth (1993)

Interviewees 13 trained nurses 2 doctors 1 physiotherapist 1 chaplain 5 health care support workers 1 student nurse

Questionnaire What does spirituality mean to you? Do you have a religion, spiritual practice or philosophy? Do you believe in God? Carson (1989) suggests two dimensions of spirituality, Vertical and Horizontal. Do you agree with this?

Questionnaire What gives your life purpose and meaning? How did you come by your beliefs? Has working in palliative care changed your personal beliefs? How important is spirituality to you? Whose role do you think it is to explore spirituality with the patient?

Questionnaire Would you feel comfortable doing that? If yes, then how would you go about it? Are there any constraints that may prevent you from doing so? How do you feel about people’s beliefs that are different to your own? How do your beliefs affect your patients?

What is Spirituality? More than just religion Don’t know what it is but know that its there It’s the spiritual side that defines a person The core of a person The person’s belief The personal and private side of a person

What is Spirituality? The personal and private side of a person How I think rather than how I act The unseen aspect of being human, our senses, feelings and emotions A search for something lasting Feeling at peace Appreciation for life

What is Spirituality? Why am I here? What is my purpose? Where do we come from? Where do we go after death?

Belief Systems Christian Pagan Buddhist Atheist Humanist Materialist A belief in Angels “Not Sure” - still seeking

Giving Life Meaning Family and friends Health Independence Other people’s happiness Being a good person Creating peace Caring for others Self awareness

Giving Life Meaning Self worth Exercise Sport Material possession Work Nature Making a difference in life

Whose Role ? Not any one person Open to anyone who had a strong bond with patient However, nurses spend most time with patients. Present at most vulnerable times i.e. at night The patient should take lead

Ways to develop spiritual care Prompted questions Notebooks and diaries Spiritual assessment tool Communication workshops

Perhaps the chief purpose of a philosophy or religion is to help understand the meaning of death and why we are alive. Without understanding where we have come from and where we are going, we cannot establish our own sense of identity to the fullest. Ageing and its symptoms can, if nothing else, prompt to seek rejuvenation. Ultimately, that rejuvenation can be found not in forestalling symptoms but in embracing a larger understanding of our own lives. Daisaku Ikeda This is a presentation . . . .