Spiritual Care Matters

Strathcarron Hospice

Dr Erna Haraldsdottir

Rev Margery Collin

May 2010

Overview

Statistics

Programme

Reflection

Action

Confidence rating

Statistics

3 workshops – one per month – Dec, Jan, FebMax 25 per workshop – 76 applicationsActual 17, 21, 20 = 58 (time off, weather, illness)

NHS 67% / Hospice 33%

Nurse 41% Doctor 24% AHP 12% Nursing Assistant 19% Student 2%Patient Representative 2%

Statistics

Reasons for Attendance Spirituality / Religion

Faith

No faith

How to approach patients / questions to ask

Professional boundaries

'Something always seems to be there'

Confidence rating before Understanding the meaning of spirituality:

Not very confident 52% Not confident at all 5% = 57%Confident 36% Very confident 7% = 43%

Providing spiritual care:

Not confident at all 19% Not very confident 69% = 88%Confident 12% Very confident 0% = 12%

Programme Session 1 : SpiritualityExploring spirituality based on personal values and beliefs

Session 2 : Spiritual CareProvision of spiritual care based on human connectedness

Session 3 : Providing spiritual careCore skills related to the provision of spiritual care

Session 4 : Being spiritualStrategies for looking after spiritual well-being of self

Reflection Opportunity to find the real ‘me’ – which part of me I showat work – being truly myself in all my roles

Being comfortable dealing with emotions

Taking time out to reflect

Realising similarity in human experience

Reflection Spirituality is multi-faceted, complex and part of everyone

Good communication is vital

‘Being’ is as important as ‘doing’

Need for continuous assessment as spiritual needs change

How often spiritual care delivered without realising it

Reflection Seeing the person, not the condition

The effectiveness of silence

How hard it can sometimes be to get through to a patient

Moving into a different level

Feeling helpless – unable to ‘fix it’

The need to be human is professional

Action plans To make a conscious effort to have greater awareness of spiritual needs in patients, visitors and colleagues

To work on communication skills especially listening and picking up clues from non-verbal behaviour

Sharing information about the workshop with colleaguesMaking Spiritual Care Matters available to staff

Action plans Putting spiritual care on the education/training agendaAltering existing courses to include spiritual care

To discuss spiritual needs of patients at team meetings

To take more care of spiritual well-being of self

To opt to study spiritual care as part of university degree

Implemented by .....

Listening activelyMoving beyond the superficialStaying focussed on patient – not worrying about timeBeing more aware of own listening blocks

Having discussions with colleaguesEncouraging reading and sharing of ideas and experiences

Facilitated by ..... Exercises and discussion undertaken at workshopLooking at all aspects of spiritual care Noting the difference staff can make to quality care

Interest of colleagues and of patients in spiritual needsHospice education policy

Self-motivation – to ensure best practice

‘Reading Spiritual Care Matters somehow gave permissionto feel’ ... vulnerable at times

Challenges

Staff beliefs and values

Staff understanding of spirituality

Time – other duties, interruptions, lack of privacy

Self-confidence

Confidence ratings

Understanding the meaning of spirituality

Confidence ratings Providing spiritual care

Confidence ratings Looking after own spiritual well-being