Examination of Nursing Students' Perception of Spiritual Support in Palliative Care and Factors Associated with Spiritual Support Perception

Abstract

It is stated that a part of palliative care is spiritual care, but the spiritual care aspect of the individual is often neglected by the healthcare team members. The aim of this study is to examine nursing students' perception of spiritual support and the factors associated with their perception of spiritual support in palliative care. The study is a descriptive study and its sample consists of 110 students. It was carried out with third and fourth grade nursing students in a health high school between June 1^st and 15^th, 2019 and necessary permissions were obtained. Study data were collected using a data form which was developed in line with the literature and the “Spirituality Support Perception Scale”.  Permission was obtained from the institution and the students to conduct the research. 63.6% of nursing students are female and 50.9% are third year students. 64.5% of the students stated that they had heard of the concept of spiritual care, 38.2% had taken lesson on spiritual care, 89.1% stated that spiritual care practices were important in palliative care, and 34.5% stated that spiritual care was partially provided in palliative care. The average score of nursing students' perception of spiritual support in palliative care is 50.38±9.75. It was determined that there was a statistically significant difference in the students' perception of spiritual support in palliative care in terms of the class they were studying in and the presence of any activity for psychological/spiritual relief (p<0.05). It was determined that the nursing students had a higher score average of spirituality support perception. It is necessary to create an appropriate environment for healthcare professionals who provide palliative care in order to meet spirituality support needs of the patients.