Meeting the spiritual needs of patients in intensive care units

4^th Global Acupuncture & Therapists Annual Meeting and International Conference on Holistic Medicine & Holistic Nursing

July 14-16, 2016 Philadelphia, USA

Noemi Duque dos Santos and Celia Pereira Caldas

Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Altern Integr Med

Abstract :

Considering the comprehension of wholeness as essential for nursing practice, intensive therapy nurses must address spiritual issues. The main objective of this study was to investigate the care provided by nurses in intensive care units regarding the spiritual dimension. Metodology include qualitative study with 15 nurses who work at intensive care units at public and private hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 10 focal groups were conducted to produce the data, which was analyzed according with Bardinâ�?�?s content analysis method. Results showed three categories: â�?�?the ICU caring spaceâ�?, â�?�?the meaning of being a nurse in ICUsâ�? and â�?�?the caring dimension in ICUsâ�?. A second level of analysis took place, guided by Jean Watson Clinical Caritas Process. It was concluded that nurses who work at ICUs are immersed in a heavily technological environment and the main focus is on the body dimension. Nevertheless, when they perceive the patientsâ�?�? spiritual needs, they can foster hope and faith so as to relieve the suffering caused by the disease and intensive care hospitalization processes. The study revealed that they are capable of integrating the human experience as they care for their patients.

Biography :

Noemi Duque dos Santos has completed her Master’s in 2015 from Rio de Janeiro State University. She is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse at National Cardiology Institute in Rio de Janeiro (INC), where she works in the care of critical patients and preceptorship in Nursing Residency Program in Medical and Surgical Clinics.

Email: noemiduque@gmail.com