Difficulties Associated With Spiritual Care According to the Nursing Staff at an Oncology Clinic: A 20-Year Longitudinal Mixed Method Case Study.

AIM(S): To replicate a study conducted twenty years ago regarding difficulties associated with spiritual care at an oncology clinic. Compare the results against societal changes, educational changes and changes at the clinic.

DESIGN

Mixed-method, longitudinal, descriptive and comparative design.

METHODS

A questionnaire-based replication-study conducted in 2003 and 2023 with comparative and categorical content analyses. The questionnaire was handed out to all nursing staff at duty at the investigate oncology clinic during the data collection periods.

RESULTS

The difficulties associated with spiritual care in 2003 and 2023 are very similar and include (i) a lack of knowledge and education; (ii) the nurses' own approaches to spiritual care can be perceived as having a negative impact, and (iii) practical or structural difficulties, including a lack of time, experiences of stress, a lack of suitable locations for individual conversations.

CONCLUSION

The difficulties identified in the 2023 study mirror previous research to a high degree. These difficulties have not, in any substantial way, changed between 2003 and 2023. This conclusion indicates that difficulties associated with spiritual care might not be sensitive to societal changes regarding spirituallity, organisational changes at the clinic, or educational changes regarding the nurses' formal education in spirituality and healthcare.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: This study is informative with regard to identifying actions that can obviate difficulties associated with spiritual care.

REPORTING METHOD

When applicable: SRQR.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

None.