Teaching and Learning About Spirituality in Healthcare Practice Settings

Abstract

This chapter considers the importance of contemporary teaching and learning approaches to spirituality within healthcare practice drawing on international evidence. The chapter integrates recent systematic literature challenges and issues that relate to its integration. Spirituality is recognised as a standard for good practice; attention is drawn to research that outlines guidance arising from international standards, guidelines, professional codes of practice and competency frameworks and key competency skills across healthcare. A consensus definition of spirituality is offered to understand spirituality within healthcare practice. Spiritual awareness, meaning making and respecting patient’s worldviews are recognised as core spiritual care competencies. Spiritual care needs, undertaking a spiritual history, formal and informal spiritual assessment methods, spiritual distress and timely referral are established as core spiritual care competencies. It is acknowledged that humanistic compassionate person-centred approaches grounded in connection are warranted to transform the educational process for the patient, student and practitioner experiences in healthcare.