Spirituality

[Extract] Nurses provide holistic care; they care not only for the physical body and mind but also for the person's spirit. Meeting the person's spiritual needs can help reduce suffering, provide comfort and reassurance, and aid in physical and mental healing. Earlier in this text, spiritual health was defined as 'the ability to develop one's inner nature to its fullest potential, including the ability to discover and articulate one's basic purpose in life, to learn how to experience love, joy, peace and how to help ourselves and others achieve their fullest potential'(Pender, Murdaugh & Parsons 2006, p. 108). Consider this definition carefully for it alludes to notions of what provides meaning and purpose to a person's life. During periods of illness or when confronting death these moments are often the impetus for significant self-reflection and reassessment (Tanyi 2002). As Dossey, Keegan and Guzzetta (2005, p. 48) state, 'Spiritu­ality permeates life, shapes our life journey and is vital to the process of discovering purpose, meaning and inner strength'. The person's relationships with significant others and a higher power are often examined during times of illness, when one is feeling vulnerable and less resilient. During such times, spiri­tuality can serve as an important coping mechanism for the person and their family. Nurses have a vital role as providers of sensitive and compassionate care, and in assessing the spiritual needs of the people to whom they provide such care