Susan Quisenberry Allen, MDiv, BCCBaptist Health Lexington

Objectives:1. What is the difference between spirituality and religion?

2. Emotional and spiritual care enhances relationships between patients, family members and staff.

3. Treating the patient holistically demonstrates respect for the person and reflects positively upon the provider.

4. Providing a support group allows staff to assess for situational vs. clinical depression.

5. Offering the patient coping strategies improves the patient’s overall outcome.

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What is Spirituality?

the way humans seek and experience meaning and their connectedness tothe momentto self, to others, to natureand to the significant or sacred

Improving the Quality of Spiritual Care as a Dimension of Palliative Care: The Report of the Consensus Conference (Journal of Palliative Medicine, 2009, 12/10:885-904)

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A Simple Definition of Spirituality

Spirituality is the relationshipof trust and safety.

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Spirituality

How is it related to being religious?

Think of someone who you consider to be religious

Think of someone who you consider to be spiritual

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Religion and Spirituality

RELIGION IS FAITH IN BELIEF

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Religion and Spirituality

SPIRITUALITY IS FAITH IN RELATIONSHIPS

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What kind of relationships are we talking about?Relationship to God or Higher Power

Relationship to Others

Relationship to self

Relationship to nature or environment

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Spirituality vs. Religious“Patients, whether or not they practice any particular religion, have spiritual needs. We must be able to assess for these needs if we are to deliver comprehensive, holistic care.”

Richardson & Robinson, 2004

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What does Joint Commission say? “The Joint Commission on Accreditation of

Healthcare Organizations requires hospitals and other healthcare institutions to include a spiritual assessment as part of the overall assessment of a patient to determine how the spiritual outlook can affect his or her care, treatment, and services.”

Joint Commission (2005)10

Joint Commission“The organization respects and

accommodates the patient’s right to religious and other spiritual services.

“The organization informs the patient of his/her rights PRIOR to beginning care, treatment or services, preferably during the initial evaluation.”

2009, The Joint Commission, RI.01.01.03, EPs 1-3

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Connections

How do you create and maintain connections with your patients?

How does this relate to spiritual and emotional care?

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What gives your life meaning?

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Meaning of Illness

Fears & concerns “intimate strangers”IllnessDeath & dyingChanges & lossesFamily/self/roleControl

EPEC Project, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 1999“Intimate Strangers” Journal of Pastoral Care Vol. XLIV Summer 1990

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Changes and Losses….

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Psychological Crisis

“The heart heals faster than the mind because it has no memory.”

(Cardiac Champs a Survivor’s Guide: How to Live a Healthy, Vigorous, Happy Life After a Heart Attack, by Larry McConnell, p. 49)

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Financial Stress…

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Spiritual Crises

Search for meaning or purpose Loss of a sense of connectionFeelings of guilt or unworthinessQuestioning of faithDesire for forgivenessSense of abandonment by God

EPEC Project, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 1999

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Offering Spiritual Care

Practice of compassionate presenceListening to hopes, fears, pain or dreamsNotice the spiritual journeyAttentiveness to all dimensions

Body – Mind – SpiritIncorporate religious practice as appropriate

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Healing Your Heart

We discuss the experiences and responses that people commonly have in dealing with heart illness and how we can help them move along in their recovery.

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Healing Your Heart TopicsThe impact of heart disease on the individual

Common responses of individuals

The impact of heart disease on your loved ones

Coping strategies

Group discussion

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Types of Responses:

EmotionalStages of Grief: Shock, Denial, Anger, Depression, Acceptance

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Types of Responses:Blame/Anger

Directed toward self or others

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Impact on Loved OnesChanges in Roles or Reversal of Roles

Decreased Social Activity

Financial Concerns

Fear of losing their loved one

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DepressionIs it clinical or situational?

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Coping StrategiesA support group

Exercise

Healthy Diet Tips

Spiritual care

Community

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RELATIONSHIPS!

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Time to Breathe

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Ruach (Heb.) and Pneuma (Grk.) =

A force, breath, wind, spirit, breath of God

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