Weber

Health Assessment in Nursing

Chapter 10:
Spiritual Assessment
Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Introduction to Spiritual
Assessment
• 95% of Americans believe in God
• >50% of Americans pray on a daily
basis
• One-third of Americans who pray use
complementary and alternative medical
practices that include religious and/or
spiritual practices
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Definition of Religion
• Rituals, practices, and experiences
involving a search for the sacred
• Shared within a group

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Religion
• Defining characteristics
– Formal
– Organized
– Group-oriented
– Ritualistic
– Objective
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Spirituality
• Definition
– A search for meaning and purpose
in life
– Seeks to understand life’s ultimate
questions in relation to the sacred

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Spirituality
• Defining characteristics
– Informal
– Non-organized
– Self-reflection
– Experience
– Subjective
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Question

Which of the following characteristics

defines religion?
a. Informal
b. Ritualistic
c. Non-organized
d. Subjective
Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Answer

b. Ritualistic.
Rationale: Religion is ritualistic. Religion
is also formal, objective and organized.

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Question

Tell whether the following statement is

True or False.
Spirituality is non-organized.

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Answer

True.
Spirituality is non-organized.

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Definition of Spiritual Assessment
• Active and ongoing conversation that
assesses the spiritual needs of the
client

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Spiritual Assessment
• Defining characteristics
– Formal or informal
– Respectful
– Non-biased

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Definition of Spiritual Care
• Addressing the spiritual needs of the
client as they unfold through spiritual
assessment

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Spiritual Care
• Defining characteristics
– Individualistic
– Client oriented
– Collaborative

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Spiritual
Assessment and Nursing Care

• Role of religion and spirituality in

health
• Self-understanding of spirituality

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Major World Religions and Common
Health Beliefs

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Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Techniques of Spiritual Assessment
• Formal technique
• Non-formal technique

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FICA Spiritual Assessment Tool

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Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale

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Question

Tell whether the following statement is

True or False.
The FICA spiritual assessment tool is a
formal tool.

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Answer

False.
The FICA spiritual assessment tool is a
non-formal tool.

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Process of Analyzing Data on
Spiritual Assessment
• Selected nursing diagnosis
– Wellness
– Risk
– Actual

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Selected Collaborative Problems

• PC: Depression
• PC: Hypertension
• PC: Hypoglycemia
• PC: Opportunistic infections

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 End of Presentation

Copyright © 2008 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins