Integration of faith and practice

Faith is an important aspect of healthcare. It is an underpinning factor in healthcare decision-making processes and the perception of health and wellness. Faith remains integral to nursing practice. Holistic nursing care requires that nurses address the spiritual, physical, and emotional domains of their patients and affirm the significance of body, mind, and spirit connection in health and healing. Several strategies can be used to integrate the Christian faith into nursing practice.

Nurses can integrate the Christian faith into their practice by committing to a healthy therapeutic relationship with their clients. By establishing stronger and healthier bonds with their clients, they are able to understand and embrace their spiritual preferences and subsequently support their spiritual wellness (Murgia et al., 2022). Nurses can also integrate the Christian faith into their practice by maintaining self-awareness of their personal beliefs and the fundamentals of the Christian faith (Murgia et al., 2022). Self-awareness in Christianity involves maintaining a connection with God and employing Christian beliefs and values in their decision-making processes. Nurses, as healers, can employ their knowledge of Christ, as well as inherent Christian values, to promote the emotional and spiritual healing of their patients. As a nurse with a personal relationship with Jesus, I can integrate my faith and spiritual beliefs into my conventional practice by striving to stand on the ground of holy caring. In this respect, holy caring pertains to caring inspired by the fundamental values of Christ and the Holy Spirit (Khalajinia et al., 2021). This way, I will be able to ensure I interact with my patients and families sacredly and share Christian values with them. This will promote their spiritual healing and subsequent health and wellness.

Spiritual care influenced by postmodernism and that based on a Christian worldview compares variedly. Both perspectives recognize the significance of spirituality in health and healing and fronts holistic approaches in patient care. Both embrace tolerance, active listening, and empathy. They, however, differ slightly. Spiritual care based on the Christian worldview integrates Christian values and beliefs adopted from the bible. In this belief system, Jesus is viewed as a healer, and his teachings can be adopted from the New Testament and utilized to demonstrate his ability to alleviate suffering and instill peace (Khalajinia et al., 2021). Spiritual care influenced by postmodernism is not faith-specific. It recognizes variations in faith and religious affiliations and maintains ambiguity about which faith to subscribe for effective spiritual care. It, however, stresses the significance of maintaining spiritual awareness to promote spiritual care among nurses (Kielkiewicz et al., 2019).

Spirituality is a private and individualized experience. As evidenced in the article, not everyone experiences spirituality similarly. While some seek spirituality in all aspects of their existence, others are selective of the spiritual doctrines they subscribe to, as well as the spiritual paths they take. (de Brito Sena et al., 2021) This definition may mean, in part, that each individual can discover, define, and embrace what they are living for and align their behaviors and decision-making with that. Notwithstanding, the definition of spirituality should not border on what can be perceived to be morally or ethically unacceptable. Christian nurses can respect their client’s right of choice while maintaining care delivery within their belief systems by maintaining self and spiritual awareness. Self-awareness will allow them to understand their spiritual affiliation and beliefs. Spiritual awareness, on the other hand, will allow them to recognize apparent differences between their spiritual belief systems and their patients’ spiritual belief systems and provide spiritual care events to diverse patient groups.

References

de Brito Sena, M. A., Damiano, R. F., Lucchetti, G., & Peres, M. F. (2021). Defining spirituality in healthcare: A systematic review and conceptual framework. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.756080

Khalajinia, Z., Tehran, H. A., & Heidari, A. (2021). Explaining the perception of spiritual care from the perspective of health personnel. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 10(1), 53. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_599_20

Kielkiewicz, K., Ó’Mathúna, C., McLaughlin, C., & Boduszek, D. (2019). Empirical investigation of a postmodern model of spirituality within the population of Republic of Ireland. Journal of Beliefs & Values, 40(2), 187–204. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2019.1570451

Murgia, C., Notarnicola, I., Caruso, R., De Maria, M., Rocco, G., & Stievano, A. (2022). Spirituality and religious diversity in nursing: A scoping review. Healthcare, 10(9), 1661. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10091661

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Getting Started

Those of us that view nursing as a “calling” realize that our profession is much more than technical skills, critical thinking, effective communication, and planning care. Nursing practice encompasses compassionate care for every dimension of the created human being. In our vocation, we address the needs of the body, mind, and spirit. We are “called” to extend the ministry of compassion that represents the love and mercy shown to us by a sovereign and holy God.

History supports the fact that spiritual care has always been emphasized within our profession. The chosen readings for this discussion assignment will challenge you to evaluate the level of importance you place on spiritual interventions in nursing practice; and consider strategies for integrating appropriate interventions that reflect and support the Christian worldview.

Upon successful completion of the course material, you will be able to:

• Discuss strategies for integrating the Christian worldview in nursing practice.

Resources

• Textbook: Spirituality in Nursing: Standing on Holy Ground
• Web Article: Confident Spiritual Care Postmodern World (Attached)
  

  Integration of faith and practice

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. In the textbook, Spirituality in Nursing: Standing on Holy Ground, read: Chapter 1,2, and 17.
3. Read the article entitled Confident Spiritual Care Postmodern World.
4. Online students, navigate to the Integration of Faith and Practice discussion forum respond to the following:
   1. Describe appropriate strategies for integrating Christian faith into nursing practice. Cite a minimum of two scholarly sources that support your chosen approaches. Consider sharing how your personal relationship with Jesus impacts the spiritual nursing care you give to clients and families.
   2. Compare and contrast spiritual care that is influenced by postmodernism to spiritual care that is based on a Christian Worldview. How might the Christian nurse and postmodern nurse differ in caring for the spirit of a patient?
   3. The article stresses that spirituality is a private and individualized experience for each person. Does this definition allow each individual to become the designer of his or her own personal spiritual truth? How do Christian nurses respect a client’s right to choose; and yet deliver care within their own belief system?
5. Your initial post is due by the end of the fourth day of the workshop.
6. Your initial posting should be a minimum of four paragraphs in length that include a minimum of three sentences each.
7. You are expected to cite and reference a minimum of two sources in your initial post.
8. Read and respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings, and consider responding to all follow-up instructor questions directed to you, by the end of the workshop.
9. Your postings should also:
   1. Be well developed by providing clear answers with evidence of critical thinking.
   2. Add greater depth to the discussion by introducing new ideas.
   3. Provide clarification to classmates’ questions and provide insight into the discussion.
   4. Be posted on a minimum of two days during the workshop.

*Copyright permission to upload the article to the course is allowed because the IWU Library also subscribes to the print journal and the publisher has given permission.