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