Chapter 16: Spirituality Practice Questions
A geriatric nurse practitioner is completing a health history for a newly admitted resident of a long-term care facility. Which of the following questions will elicit information about the patient's spirituality?
"Are you angry at God for allowing you to be here?"
A nurse is reviewing the history of a client admitted to the healthcare facility. The nurse notes that the client reports that he is an atheist. The nurse interprets this information as indicating that the client believes which of the following?
"God does not exist"
A nurse is caring for a client with HIV. The client is angry, anxious, depressed, and defensive when asked questions regarding spirituality. What should the nurse say to make the client comfortable?
"I can see from your response that you might not have expected these questions."
A client who is scheduled to begin chemotherapy for cancer is overheard telling a family member that everything will eventually be okay and the cancer will be in remission. This client is demonstrating which of the following?
hope
A nursing instructor, after teaching about the importance of spirituality, identifies a need for further teaching when overhearing a student make which of the following statements?
"You can nurse clients well even though you ignore the spiritual dimension of health."
After assessing a client's spirituality, a nurse determines that the client is experiencing difficulty in the area of forgiveness. Which client statement would the nurse identify to support this conclusion? Select all that apply.
- I think God is judgmental - It's all my fault that I'm sick now - My illness is God punishing me for not believing.
While admitting Mr. Spencer, the nurse asks if he has a preferred religion or faith. Mr. Spencer indicates that he is not sure there is any proof of a higher power and therefore, has no preferred religion. The nurse knows that which of the following terms describes Mr. Spencer's feelings about religion?
Agnostic
Which of the following group of terms best defines spiritual distress?
Alienation, despair Explanation: Terms that define spiritual distress include spiritual pain, alienation, anxiety, guilt, anger, loss, and despair.
While admitting a clilent who is having elective surgery tomorrow, the nurse asks if he has a preferred religion or faith. The client indicates that he does not believe in a higher power and therefore has no preferred religion. The nurse knows that which of the following terms describes the client's feelings about religion?
Atheist Explanation: An atheist is a person who denies the existence of a higher power. An agnostic is one who holds that nothing can be known about the existence of a higher power. Jehovah's Witnesses are an organized religion. A spiritualist is one who believes in spirituality.
What factor is necessary to express and experience spirituality?
Connectedness with other people Explanation: People express and experience spirituality through love and connectedness with other people. Love develops from the basic human need to love and be loved and is necessary to spiritual wholeness.
Your first patient in the emergency department today is a 6-year-old boy who was in a motor vehicle accident and has lost a lot of blood through a leg wound. The parents tell you right away that the child cannot have blood transfusions due to their religious beliefs. You are aware that this has been challenged in court and the courts did which of the following about treatment for the child?
Did not support the parents' right to refuse treatment for the child
A nurse is caring for an infant who requires a treatment procedure. What would be most important for the nurse to do to help support the infant's spiritual needs?
Encourage parents to be present during the treatment. Explanation: Hospitalization and illness potentially disrupt an infant's basic trust in parents. As parents play an instrumental role in the lives of infants and newborns, attention given to recognizing the needs of parents can in turn assist in meeting infant needs. Therefore, supporting the spiritual needs of parents by listening, offering support, and promoting stability will also help to meet the infant's needs. Nurses can support and encourage parents to be present and involved in the caring process with infants, such as encouraging the parents to be present during the medical treatment. There is no need for the nurse to ask for a child specialist to be present during the treatment. Instead, the nurse should involve the parents in the caring process as the infant will feel more secure and comfortable in the presence of the parents. Explaining that it will be over soon or providing the infant with toys or a feeding bottle will do little to comfort the infant
The nurse is caring for Mr. Z., a 55-year-old man admitted to the hospital for liver failure. He is an active member in the Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) church. Mr. Z. tells the nurse that he strictly adheres to the religious practices that are condoned by the church. However, the nurse overhears two of his physicians discussing that Mr. Z.'s liver failure is likely due to chronic alcohol use. The nurse suspects that they are wrong. Which of the following is an appropriate nursing activity?
Engage Mr. Z. in a discussion about past and present religious practices.
A nurse overhears a client telling a family member that a belief in God is the only thing helping in the fight against a terminal illness. Which of the following is this client demonstrating?
Faith Explanation: Faith refers to a confident belief in something for which there is no proof or material evidence. It can involve a person, idea, or thing, and it is usually followed by action related to the ideals or values of that belief.
Then nurse is caring for a hospice client who tells the nurse that she is worried about how she has treated a younger sister. She asks the nurse how to make things right. The nurse recognizes this as which of the following spiritual needs?
Forgiveness
Then nurse is caring for a hospice client who tells the nurse that she is worried about how she has treated a younger sister. She asks the nurse how to make things right. The nurse recognizes this as which of the following spiritual needs?
Forgiveness Explanation: According to Shelly and Fish (1988), there are three spiritual needs underlying all religious traditions and common to all people: (1) the need for meaning and purpose, (2) the need for love and relatedness, and (3) the need for forgiveness.
A client who is on hospice care and has no immediate family has been given less than 1 week to live. The nurse caring for the client recognizes that providing presence is most important, especially when a client is dying. What would be the best way for this nurse to provide presence to this client?
Hold the client's hand and sit by the bedside as often as possible.
A nurse has developed a plan of care to meet the needs of a client with the nursing diagnosis of Spiritual Distress. What would be an expected outcome?
Identify factors in life that challenge spiritual beliefs. Explanation: Goals and expected outcomes for clients in spiritual distress do not need to be individualized. An appropriate expected outcome would be that the client will identify factors in life that challenge spiritual beliefs.
What spiritual need is believed to underlie all religious traditions and is common to all people?
Love and relatedness Explanation: According to Shelly and Fish (1988), there are three spiritual needs underlying all religious traditions and common to all people: (1) the needs for meaning and purpose, (2) love and relatedness, and (3) forgiveness.
The nurse is assessing a client's spiritual needs. During the assessment, the client states, "I don't have a reason to live. Why am I suffering so much?" The nurse interprets this statement as reflecting which spiritual need?
Meaning & purpose
Mrs. Dopson is a 75-year-old widow who lost her last offspring to cancer last month. She shares with the nurse that she fears being alone. The nurse knows that this is related to which of the following spiritual needs believed to be common to all people?
Need for love and relatedness
Mr. Baker is an 81-year-old patient who can no longer live alone safely and is being admitted to a long-term-care facility. He grew a large garden every summer and took pleasure in sharing the produce with neighbors. He now tells the nurse that he feels he is of no use to anyone. The nurse knows that this is related to which of the following spiritual needs believed to be common to all people?
Need for meaning and purpose
A client tells a nurse that he does not think he can have the recommended heart surgery because transfusions are against his religion. What is the best response of the nurse in this situation?
Obtain all the information needed for the client to make an informed decision. Explanation: The nurse's role is to assist the client in obtaining the information needed to make an informed decision and to support the client's decision making. Because what the nurse says, and the way it is said, may powerfully influence the client's decision, it is important to maintain objectivity. Conflicts that resist resolution may be referred to an ethics committee or consult team.
Your patient today is Robert, who is hospitalized for a cystectomy related to bladder cancer. He reveals to you that he feels some spiritual distress without telling you specifics. Which of the following is the appropriate priority action?
Perform a spiritual assessment Explanation: If the patient reveals a spiritual problem, use interview questions to determine the specific nature of the problem, its probable causes, related signs and symptoms, when it began and how often it occurs, how it affects everyday living, the severity of the problem and whether it can be treated independently by nursing or needs to be referred, and how well the patient is coping with the problem. Praying with patients should not be initiated by the nurse unless there is no pastoral care available and the patient requests it.
A nurse is administering a prescribed dose of an injection to a middle-aged client with Bell's palsy. What are the sources of fulfillment in the middle-years of an adult client's life?
Productive activity
A nurse is caring for a hospitalized client. What intervention can the nurse use to help the client continue normal spiritual practices?
Request dietary consultation for the client's dietary restrictions.
Allen is an 82-year-old retiree who recently relocated to senior apartments. The apartments are not affiliated with any religious beliefs. Allen was raised in the Roman Catholic church and has attended mass every Sunday since childhood. He has not attended mass for 3 weeks. What best describes Allen's situation?
Separation from spiritual ties
A college foreign exchange student is living with a family in England and is confused about the daily Catholic prayers and rituals of the family. The student longs for the comfort of her fundamentalist Protestant practices and reports to the campus nurse for direction. The nurse recognizes the student is experiencing which type of spiritual distress?
Spiritual alienation Explanation: Spiritual alienation occurs when an individual is separated from her/his faith community. Spiritual guilt is the failure to live according to religious rules. Spiritual anger is the inability to accept illness. Spiritual loss occurs when one is not able to find comfort in religion.
A new nurse observes a priest visiting the clients every Saturday afternoon and praying with them. This activity supports which of the nursing outcomes?
The client uses a type of spiritual experience that provides her comfort.
While interviewing a client, a nurse is told that the client practices Catholicism. This client is identifying to the nurse what
The client's faith
Which of the following factors should be the primary factor in a nurse's decision whether to pray with a patient?
The patient's openness to being prayed for Explanation: Many factors influence the nurse's decision to pray with a patient. Central among these, however, is the question of whether the patient is open to this possibility. This factor is more important than the nurse's familiarity with specific prayer traditions, the patient's medical condition, or the presence or absence of a chaplain.
A client scheduled for complex heart surgery has been reading the Bible for hours each day, cries often, and is not sleeping well. What might these observations cue the nurse about the client?
These behaviors are signs of spiritual distress. Explanation: Many clients find it difficult to talk about their spiritual beliefs and problems but may have behavioral indicators of spiritual distress. Significant behavioral observations include sudden changes in spiritual practices, mood changes, sudden interest in spiritual matters, and disturbed sleep.
The son of a dying patient is surprised at his mother's adamant request to meet with the hospital chaplain and has taken the nurse aside and said, "I don't think that's what she really wants. She's never been a religious person in the least." What is the nurse's best action in this situation? a) Contact the chaplain to arrange a visit with the patient. b) Document the patient's request and wait to see if she reiterates her request. c) Organize a meeting between the chaplain, the son, and the patient to achieve a resolution. d) Perform a detailed spiritual assessment of the patient.
a) Contact the chaplain to arrange a visit with the patient. Rationale: The nurse's primary duty is to honor the client's request for a meeting with a spiritual advisor.
While interviewing a hospitalized client, he states, "The holy days of Ramadan are coming soon. I am not to have any food or drink from sunrise to sunset during this time." Further assessment reveals that the client's request is associated with which religion? a)Islam b)Christianity c) Judaism d)Hinduism
a) Islam Rationale: According to the Islamic religion, neither food nor drink is taken between sunrise and sunset during the holy days of Ramadan. There are no special or universal food beliefs common to Christianity. According to Judaism, Kosher food is eaten, meat cannot be mixed with dairy, and separate cooking and eating utensils are used for food preparation and consumption. According to Hinduism, pork and alcohol are forbidden and other meats must meet ritual requirements.x
Which of the following best reflects nursing's view of clients as holistic beings? a) Mind, body, spirit b) Spiritual, egocentric, naive c) Physical, psychosocial, religious d)Id, ego, superego
a) Mind, body, spirit Rationale: Nursing has a long history of incorporating spirituality into client care. References to spirituality underlie a primary idea in nursing, that clients are viewed as holistic beings in body, mind, and spirit. Id, ego, and superego are concepts associated with psychoanalytic theory. A holistic view is more than physical, psychosocial, religious, spiritual, egocentric, and naïve.
A nursing instructor, while teaching a class on spiritual health, identifies which of the following to be spiritual needs common to all people? a) Need for love and relatedness b) Need for complete health and freedom c) Need for comfort and money d) Need for forgiveness e) Need for meaning and purpose
a) Need for love and relatedness d) Need for forgiveness e) Need for meaning and purpose
The family members of a dying patient have asked for the hospital chaplain's help in having a member of the clergy come to the patient's bedside to perform the anointing of the sick. The nurse who is providing care for the patient should recognize that the family is likely: a)Roman Catholic. b) Christian Scientist. c) Jehovah's Witness. d)Jewish. holy water is anointment.
a) Roman Catholic.
To help the nurse identify possible coping responses in clients, which of the following would be most important for the nurse to understand about spirituality? a) Varies in different situations. b) Decreases with age. c) Increases with illness. d) Stays the same throughout life.
a) Varies in different situations.
A nurse who provides care on the palliative unit of a hospital is aware of the importance of spiritual assessment and the integration of spirituality into clients' care. What assessment question should the nurse use in an effort to determine clients' spiritual beliefs? a. "Are there any spiritual or religious beliefs or practices that are important to you?" b. "What church do you normally attend?" c. "If you had to identify yourself as either a religious person or a spiritual person, which would you choose?" d. "Do you hold a belief in the afterlife?"
a. "Are there any spiritual or religious beliefs or practices that are important to you?" Rationale: An open-ended yet clear question about a person's spiritual beliefs is most likely to elicit information about the client in a thoughtful manner. Asking the client to choose between self-identifying as religious or spiritual is not an accurate dichotomy, while asking about the afterlife is not a direct way of assessing religion and spirituality. Not every religious or spiritual group situates their practices in a church.
Which of the following client statements most clearly suggest the potential of a nursing diagnosis of Spiritual Anxiety? a. "Now that I'm nearing the end, I'm worried that God won't think I lived a good enough life." b. "I've never been a religious man, and all these Catholic crosses and pictures in the hospital make me a bit uncomfortable." c. "I guess I should have taken a lot more time to go to church when I was younger." d. "I always tried to do the right thing, so I don't understand why I have to suffer so much now.
a. "Now that I'm nearing the end, I'm worried that God won't think I lived a good enough life." Rationale: Worry about one's spiritual condition is indicative of the nursing diagnosis of Spiritual Anxiety. Unfamiliarity with the religious character of a care setting suggest Spiritual Alienation, while questions of suffering often indicate Spiritual Pain or Spiritual Despair. Regrets over previous religious or spiritual apathy may suggest a nursing diagnosis of Spiritual Guilt.
Which description best describes the role of a parish nurse? a. A nurse who works to reintegrate the healing tradition into the life of a faith community. b. A trained layperson who provides for the spiritual needs of a congregation or parish. c. A nurse who provides home health services similar to a visiting nurse. d. A spiritual leader, such as a minister, who is also a registered nurse.
a. A nurse who works to reintegrate the healing tradition into the life of a faith community. Rationale: Parish nurses and health ministry teams work to reintegrate the healing tradition into the life of faith communities. The key roles of the parish nurse are health educator, personal health counselor, referral agent, trainer of volunteers, developer of support groups, integrator of faith and health, and health advocate. Parish nurses are not visiting nurses nor home health nurses.
The nurse's colleague confides to the nurse that he has been proselytizing (convert or attempt to convert) to a client who is described as being in desperate spiritual distress. The nurse advises her colleague to do which of following? a. Consult pastoral care immediately b. Offer to pray more with the client c. Offer last rites d. Continue and include the spouse
a. Consult pastoral care immediately Rationale: Puchalski (2006) offers the following hints about professional boundaries: -Keep the spiritual history client centered. -Recognize pastoral care professionals as experts in this filed and consult them appropriately. -Proselytizing is never acceptable in professional settings. Addressing spiritual issues should not be coercive. -More in-depth spiritual counseling should be under the direction of chaplains and other spiritual leaders. -Praying with clients should not be initiated by the nurse unless there is no pastoral care available, and the client requests it.
The nurse is caring for a client with Parkinson's disease. The client informs the nurse that he has been angry with God because of his worsening illness, but after talking to the hospital chaplain, he is ready to return to the church choir and become active again in the men's group at the church. What is an appropriate nursing diagnosis for this client? a. Readiness for Enhanced Spiritual Well-Being b. Spiritual Distress c. Risk for Loneliness d. Impaired Religiosity
a. Readiness for Enhanced Spiritual Well-Being Rationale: The most appropriate diagnosis for this client is Readiness for Enhanced Spiritual Well-Being. The client desires to experience and integrate meaning and purpose in life through connections with self, others, art, music, literature, nature, or a power greater than himself.
When preparing for a spiritual counselor to visit a hospitalized client, the nurse should do what? a. Take measure to ensure privacy during the counselor's visit. b. Ask the spiritual counselor to summarize the visit in the client's medical record. c. Ensure that the counselor is approved by the hospital administration. d. Ask to be present during the visit in order to explain any medical information or answer questions about the client's care.
a. Take measure to ensure privacy during the counselor's visit. Rationale: Visits between a client and a spiritual counselor require privacy. The details of the meeting are not typically documented in the client's chart, though the fact that the visit took place is often noted. The nurse may be present during the meeting, but this should take place at the client's request. Spiritual counselors do not require administrative approval; clients and their families are normally able to seek spiritual help from whomever they prefer.
The nurse is caring for a patient who asks that his special undergarments not be removed for an upcoming procedure. The nurse is aware that these undergarments are related to the patient's religion. This religion is which of the following? a)Christian Scientist b)Mormon c)Muslim d) Adventist
b) Mormon
A nursing instructor is preparing a class presentation on spiritual care. What would the instructor include as an essential component? Select all that apply. a)Limited verbal communication b) Trust c) Narrow definition of spirituality d) Empathy e) Self-awareness
b) Trust d) Empathy e) Self-awareness Explanation: Essential elements in implementing spiritual care are commitment to the nurse-client relationship, good communication skills, trust, empathy, self-awareness, and acceptance of a broad definition of spirituality.
The parents of three children ages 4, 7, and 11 years are interested in fostering spiritual development in their children. The nurse informs the parents that the development of a child's spirituality is best accomplished by: a)teaching the child about God. b) teaching through parental behaviors. c) teaching through religious-based schools. d) teaching the child about religion
b) teaching through parental behaviors. Explanation: A child's parents play a key role in the development of the child's spirituality. What is important is not so much what parents teach a child about God and religion, but rather what the child learns about God, life, and self from the parent's behavior.
An American Muslim client seeks care in the emergency room for dehydration related to vomiting. The nurse manager knows that this client, due to his religious needs, should be assigned to which of the following caregivers? a. A female younger than himself b. A member of the black community c. A male older than himself d. A Caucasian physician
b. A member of the black community Rationale: American Muslims are encouraged to obtain health care provided by members of the black community.
A nurse is caring for a terminally ill client who believes that death and reincarnation are the ultimate gifts from God to mankind. Which of the following would be most appropriate to integrate into this client's plan of care when providing spiritual support? a. Subtly attempt to change the client's belief. b. Provide support that builds on the client's faith. c. Provide literature to the client that says otherwise. d. Request the client refrain from talking about death.
b. Provide support that builds on the client's faith. Rationale: The nurse should support and build on the client's faith. Nurses should not attempt to change faith that clients already posses. If faith is lost, clients will lose hope; without the will to live, many people are beyond the help of the most potent medical powers. The nurse should not attempt to change the client's belief or provide literature that says otherwise. Conversations regarding faith, however, must not pass judgment or present controversy. Clients need to feel accepted in their beliefs and encouraged to remain open in expressing and learning.
A client whose left foot was surgically removed due to gangrene tells the nurse that focusing more on his spiritual life helped him overcome the loss of his foot. The nurse interprets the client's statement as reflecting which of the following about the spiritual dimension?
being in harmony with the universe Explanation: The spiritual dimension seeks harmony with the universe, strives for answers about the infinite, and comes into focus when the person faces emotional stress, physical illness, or death. Worshiping with family and friends or seeking joy from materialistic objects can make a person happy on an individual level, but spiritual dimensions go beyond religious affiliation and inspire reverence, awe, meaning, and purpose even for those who do not believe in any god.
Mrs. Dopson is a 75-year-old widow who lost her last offspring to cancer last month. She shares with the nurse that she fears being alone. The nurse knows that this is related to which of the following spiritual needs believed to be common to all people? a)Need for meaning and purpose b) Need for forgiveness c) Need for love and relatedness d) Need basic necessities of life
c) Need for love and relatedness
A nurse is assisting a terminally ill female client with bathing. The client tells the nurse that she has great respect and faith in a particular spiritual leader. The nurse interprets this information as fulfilling which need for the client? a)Financial strength and support b) Living a longer life c) Sense of security for present and future d) Power to perform miracles
c) Sense of security for present and future Explanation: Whatever the spiritual or religious beliefs the person holds and practices, these beliefs contribute to a sense of security for the present and future; give meaning to life, illness, other crises, and death; guide daily living habits; drive acceptance or rejection of other people; furnish psychosocial support within a group of like-minded people; provide strength in meeting life's crises; and give healing strength and support. However, spiritual beliefs do not guarantee that a person gains financial power and strength, the power to perform miracles, or the ability to live longer
A man age 79 years is in the later stages of lung cancer with bone metastases. Since receiving his terminal diagnosis, the client has often made mention of the fact that he has a long-estranged daughter and that he was a "miserable father." The client has recently asked for the social worker's assistance in locating his daughter before his death. What spiritual need likely underlies the client's request? a. Need for purpose b. Need for love c. Need for forgiveness d. Need for meaning
c. Need for forgiveness Rationale: While a need for love may be a factor in the man's request, the fact that he admits his parental failings and wishes to rekindle a relationship with his child suggests that he may feel a need for forgiveness. The needs for purpose and meaning are not directly evident in this scenario.
While studying religion and spirituality, the nursing student exhibits an understanding of the concepts when making which of the following statements? a. Religion and spirituality are synonymous. b. Spirituality is the behavioral manifestation of religious beliefs. c. Religion is a collection of spiritual beliefs and practices. d. Spirituality is a recently developed alternative to traditional religious belief.
c. Religion is a collection of spiritual beliefs and practices. Rationale: Spirituality may or may not inlace religion, which is a codified system of spiritual beliefs. The two terms are not interchangeable, and spirituality is not solely concerned with outward behavior. Spirituality is not necessarily an "alternative" to religion; nor is it a recent development.
A dying patient requests that the nurse pray with him. The nurse is not accustomed to praying aloud but is comfortable praying silently. What is the best approach for this nurse to follow to pray with this patient? a) The nurse should defer the patient's request to pray. b) The nurse should inform the patient that she will pray for the patient but not with him. c) The nurse should ask the patient's roommate to pray with the patient. d) The nurse should select a formal prayer or Bible passage to use to pray aloud.
d) The nurse should select a formal prayer or Bible passage to use to pray aloud. Explanation: A nurse unaccustomed to praying aloud or in public may find it helpful to have a Bible passage or formal prayer readily available for praying. If the nurse is not comfortable praying with the client, she should call the hospital chaplain or find another individual who is comfortable.
A nurse is caring for a patient who practices Daoism. Which religious beliefs would the nurse keep in mind when planning care for this patient? (Select all that apply.) a) Inherent in Daoism is the appreciation of life and the desire to keep the body from untimely or unnecessary death. b) They worship one God revealed to the world through Jesus Christ. c) Allah, who is all-seeing, all-hearing, allspeaking, all-knowing, all-willing, and allpowerful, is their one God. d) The universal principle is the mysterious biologic and spiritual life rhythm or order of nature. e) They oppose the "false teachings" of other sects. f) They believe that health is a manifestation of the harmony of the universe, obtained through the proper balancing of internal and external forces.
d) The universal principle is the mysterious biologic and spiritual life rhythm or order of nature. f) They believe that health is a manifestation of the harmony of the universe, obtained through the proper balancing of internal and external forces. Explanation: Daoism (Taoism) beliefs include that there is a "medicinal" concern for maintaining and prolonging human health and life (sheng); knowing and living a natural life—following the Tao—is the secret of both health and sagehood; and long tradition of seeking pragmatic medical techniques, along with its religious techniques of meditation and ritual for establishing a harmony of body and spirit, humanity, and nature (holistic approach). Allah is a belief of Islam religion. The concept of "false teachings" is a part of the Jehovah's
Upon assessment, the nurse is addressing the beliefs of a newly admitted man who reports practicing Adventist religion. Based upon the nurse's familiarity with this religion, she appropriately asks what to the client? a. "What are your beliefs about blood transfusions?" b. "Do you receive care from a medicine man or woman?" c. "Is it acceptable for the health care team to remove undergarments in an emergency?" d. "What are your beliefs about the use of narcotics for pain?"
d. "What are your beliefs about the use of narcotics for pain?" Rationale: The Adventist religion prohibits the taking of narcotics and stimulants because the body is a temple. Jehovah's Witnesses prohibit blood transfusions because it violates God's law. Native American religions incorporate medicine men or women for health care needs. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) are required to wear special undergarments that should be removed only in an emergency.
A client recently diagnosed with cancer informs the nurse that she values faith and finds comfort in her faith. The nurse is aware that faith is best defined as which of the following? a. A positive outlook even in the bleakest moments. b. An organized belief system about a higher power. c. Practices associated with all aspects of a person's life. d. A belief in something for which there is no proof or material evidence.
d. A belief in something for which there is no proof or material evidence. Rationale: Faith is a belief in something for which there is no proof or material evidence. Hope is a positive outlook even in the bleakest moments. Religion is an organized belief system about a higher power. Spiritual beliefs are practices associated with all aspects of a person's life.
The nurse is caring for a critically ill client, who informs the nurse that there is conflict between her spiritual beliefs and a proposed health option. What is the nurse's role in this situation? a. The nurse has little role in this situation because it is best managed by the physician. b. The nurse should provide examples of ways other clients from various religions handled the situation. c. Provide a subjective opinion on the appropriate course of action. d. Assist the client in obtaining information to make an informed decision
d. Assist the client in obtaining information to make an informed decision. Rationale: The nurse's role in resolving conflicts between spiritual beliefs and treatments is to assist the client in obtaining the information needed to make an informed decision, and to support the client's decision making.
An older adult who identifies herself as a devout Catholic has recently relocated to an assisted-living facility. The client is please with most aspects of the living situation but laments the fact that the church is not nearby, so attending daily mass is not an option. She is quite upset by this restriction and states, "Going to daily mass was my life." The nurse recognizes that this client is suffering which of the following? a. Spiritual pain b. Hopelessness c. Depression d. Spiritual distress
d. Spiritual distress Rationale: A diagnosis of depression does not apply to this situation. Spiritual distress involves the inability to integrate meaning and purpose in life, while spiritual pain involves angst over the nature and actions of a higher power. The woman's statements do not directly reflect an outlook of hopelessness.
Upon assessment, the client reports he does not belong to an organized religion. The nurse is correct to interpret this statement as which of the following? a. The client will experience conflicts between religious beliefs and health care options. b. The client's spiritual needs are met. c. The client will not request to see the hospital chaplain or seek spiritual counseling. d. The client is not affiliated with a specific system of belief regarding a higher power.
d. The client is not affiliated with a specific system of belief regarding a higher power. Rationale: The nurse should not interpret the fact that a client does not belong to an organized religion to mean that the client has no spiritual need; a person may be highly spiritual yet not profess a religion. The client may seek spiritual counseling during hospitalization related to spiritual needs.
A nurse overhears a client telling a family member that a belief in God is the only thing helping in the fight against a terminal illness. Which of the following is this client demonstrating?
faith
Mrs Jones is an 81-year-old patient who can no longer live alone safely and is being admitted to a long-term-care facility. She had to leave her elderly cat, Baby, with neighbors. She tells the nurse that her cat was the only family she had and that she misses her. The nurse knows that this is related to which of the following spiritual needs believed to be common to all people?
need for love and relatedness
Mr. Field is a 45-year-old man who has suffered a myocardial infarction. Mr. Field provided for his family by working in the construction industry, which he will no longer be able to do. He tells his nurse that he fears he will be of no use to anyone now. The nurse knows that this is related to which of the following spiritual needs believed to be common to all people?
need for meaning and purpose
A nurse is caring for a client who claims to be spiritual but is addicted to drugs. Which of the following factors contribute to the spiritual health of a client? Select all that apply.
• Appropriate religious education • Adaptable belief system • Firm spiritual identity
As you admit a new patient to your unit for elective surgery, you facilitate the practice of religion by doing which of the following?
• Arrange for the patient's pastor to visit if desired • Attempt to meet religious dietary restrictions • Respect the need for privacy during periods of prayer