Discuss empirical development of the spiritual care in nursing practice theory.

Spirituality in nursing practice | MSN5270

The empirical development of the spiritual care in nursing practice theory began with a seminal study by Watson published in 1988. This work drew on evidence that nurses should address the spiritual needs of their patients, recognizing them as not just physical but also psychological and social beings. Following this study, others sought to explore how nurses could provide spiritually competent care within the context of their practice. These efforts resulted in several theories of spiritual care being developed over time such as Watson’s Transpersonal Caring Theory and Puchalski & Vitale Hammond’s Patient-Centered Spiritual Care Model.

To further develop understanding about spiritual care, researchers have conducted numerous studies examining its role in patient outcomes. This empirical research has helped to validate existing theories by showing that providing spiritual support can improve patient satisfaction, promote quality of life, reduce anxiety and depression levels, and even aid recovery from certain illnesses. All these findings point towards the importance of incorporating spiritual care into nursing practice and demonstrate that it is an essential component for holistic health promotion.