Chapter 47 Spirituality
The nurse enters a client's room as the client and family are praying. Which is the most appropriate action of the nurse?
Step outside the door until the prayer is finished.
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?
Islam
A terminally ill client tells the nurse that he does not belong to an organized religion. It is safe for the nurse to assume:
- the client may still be deeply spiritual.
Which question would be appropriate for the F in the FICA spiritual assessment tool?
"Do you consider yourself a spiritual person?"
After teaching a staff development program about the major world religions and their view of health and illness, the nurse determines that the teaching was successful when the participants identify which statement as best reflective of Buddhism?
Dietary restrictions on some holy days.
The nurse is caring for a dying male client who practices Islam. What is the most appropriate action for the nurse after the client's death?
Ensure that a male washes the client's body.
The nurse is assessing a 27-year-old Navajo male who is being admitted for surgery. The client requests a visit from the spiritual healer. Which is the best response from the nurse?
"Do you have a preference as to which spiritual leader you would like to visit?"
Which client statement most clearly suggests the potential that the nurse will identify the client is experiency spiritual anxiety?
"Now that I am nearing the end of life, I am worried that a higher power will not think I lived a good enough life."
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 provide quality nursing care to clients even though you ignore the spiritual dimension of health."
A recently graduated nurse is working with a client who is suffering from excruciating pain with no relief. The client tells the nurse that religion and spirituality are a big part of her life. The nurse wants to help nurture this client's spirituality and can do so in which of the following ways? Select all that apply.
- promoting meaning and purpose - promoting love and relatedness - promoting forgiveness
Based on religious customs, for which client would the nurse administering medicines avoid touching the client's lips?
A Hindu client
When reviewing the history of a client admitted to the health care facility, the nurse notes that the client reported being an atheist. Which action will the nurse take to meet spiritual needs when planning nursing care for the client?
Ask the client how he or she expresses spirituality.
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. What is this client demonstrating?
Faith
A nursing student is studying spirituality and completing a report on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Which fact about this faith should the student include in the report?
Latter-day Saints are not allowed to use tobacco or alcohol.
A 55-year-old client with end-stage renal failure has asked to be taken off dialysis. The client now shares with the nurse that they have mistreated their only child in the past and would like to reconcile this before dying. The nurse knows that this is related to which spiritual need believed to be common to all people?
Need for forgiveness
The nurse is taking care of a client who is scheduled for a mastectomy. The client tells the nurse that the client is apprehensive about the operation and asks the nurse to read a passage from the Koran to help prepare the client for surgery. Which action by the nurse is the most appropriate?
Read the Koran passage to the client.
A nurse interviews a client and finds that, because of religious beliefs, the client's view on health care does not involve blood transfusions. How can the nurse best handle this client situation?
Record this information in the client's chart.
When a nurse supports the client's spiritual needs, the nurse supports which level of the Maslow's hierarchy of needs?
Self-actualization needs
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 bestdescribes Allen's situation?
Separation from spiritual ties
The nurse is creating a plan of care for a client experiencing spiritual distress. What is the priority outcome for this care plan?
The client expresses meaning and purpose in life.
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 comfort.
A client is in the late stages of lung cancer with bone metastases. Since receiving the terminal diagnosis, the client has often made mentioned an estranged child and being a "miserable parent." Which conversation will the nurse have with the client to attend to unfinished business?
The need for forgiveness
A client recently diagnosed with cancer informs the nurse that they value faith and finds comfort in their faith. The nurse is aware that faith is best defined as:
a belief in something for which there is no proof or material evidence.
The nurse has identified the nursing concern spiritual distress related to intense pain and suffering as verbalized by the client. Which is an appropriate goal for to related to this concern?
client participates in supportive spiritual practices
The client states "I have lifted my cancer to God and am accepting of God's plan for me." This is an example of an adaptive expression of spiritual needs labeled:
faith.
While interviewing a client, a nurse is told that the client practices Catholicism. This client is identifying:
his faith.
Which set of terms best reflects nursing's view of clients as holistic beings?
mind, body, spirit
A new client is on the hospital unit. He was recently diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer and was told that any treatment would be palliative. He tells a nurse that there is no God that he knows of who would subject someone to this. The client's statement is most reflective of:
spiritual crisis.
When preparing for a spiritual counselor to visit a hospitalized client, the nurse should:
take measures to ensure privacy during the counselor's visit.
A client attempted to take their life. The nurse identifies the nursing concern of spiritual distress related to crisis of illness as evidenced by loss of meaning in life and overuse of pain medication. Which intervention is appropriate to address this nursing concern for this client?
Plan and coordinate a multidisciplinary team conference including the chaplain.
The family members of a dying client have asked for the hospital chaplain's help in having a member of the clergy come to the client's bedside to perform the anointing of the sick. The nurse who is providing care for the client should recognize that the family is likely which religion?
Roman Catholic
A nurse is conducting a spiritual assessment on a client recently admitted to the hospital unit. Which questions would be appropriate to ask the client about his religious and spiritual practices? Select all that apply.
- "Is religion a significant part of your life?" - "Are there any spiritual practices that you would like to continue while hospitalized?" - "Does the present situation interfere with any spiritual or religious practice?"
The nurse admits a new client to the unit for elective surgery. What would be the best way for the nurse to facilitate the practice of religion for this client? Choose all that apply.
- Arrange for the client's pastor to visit if desired. - Attempt to meet religious dietary restrictions. - Respect the need for privacy during periods of prayer.
The nurse's client states that his pastor is coming in a few hours to pray with him and offer sacrament. The nurse plans to do the following things in preparation for this. Select all that apply.
- Clear the bedside table; cover with clean towel. - Have a chair available near the bed. - Clear the room of unnecessary items.
The nurse is assisting a client with his meal selection for the next day. The client states, "I can't have meat tomorrow, it's a Holy Day." The nurse recognizes that the client is a member of which religious organization?
Roman Catholic
A nurse working in a facility that cares for clients with Alzheimer's includes spirituality in client care. A family caregiver tells the nurse that faith has been broken and asks about help in getting through the day. What approaches can the nurse use to help the family member? Select all that apply.
- Help the family member get relief so church services can be attended - Contact the family church group members for assistance - Give the family member some spiritual reading materials
A nurse is conducting online research for information related to spiritual needs and religious traditions. The nurse demonstrates understanding of the information by identifying which need as common to all? Select all that apply.
- Love - Meaning - Forgiveness
According to Shelly and Fish (1988), which of the following are spiritual needs underlying all religious traditions that are common to all people? Select all that apply.
- Meaning and purpose - Love and relatedness - Forgiveness
A nurse is educating staff members about the importance of meeting the spiritual needs of clients on the unit. What spiritual needs should be met in the delivery of care? Select all that apply.
- need for meaning and purpose - need for love and relatedness - need for forgiveness
Mr. V. is recovering from pneumonia. The nurse understands that a well-balanced diet will help him to recover. However, Mr. V. informs the nurse that it is Ramadan and he must fast from sunrise to sunset. What is the nurse's most appropriate nursing action?
Work with the nutrition staff to provide nutritious meals at off hours.
A client who has suffered a debilitating stroke asks the nurse, "Why did God allow this to happen to me?" What question would the nurse ask to promote a conversation with the client about the client's spiritual needs?
"In the past, what has given you strength during a crisis?"
The nurse is caring for a critically ill client who informs the nurse that there is a conflict between the client's spiritual beliefs and a proposed health option. Which question does the nurse ask to begin a conversation about the conflict that the client is experiencing?
"Would you like to talk to someone to help you make an informed decision?"
The nurse is caring for a client that practices Islam in the hospital. When dietary brings the client a food tray for supper, which food on the tray should the nurse remove that is against the dietary laws for a practicing Muslim?
A pork chop
An older adult client who identifies as a devout Catholic has recently relocated to an assisted living facility. The client is pleased 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. The client is quite upset by this restriction and states, "Going to daily mass was my life." Which action would the nurse take to address the client's spiritual distress?
Actively listen to the client to explore the client's feelings.
The nurse is caring for a Roman catholic client who is dying. What would be an appropriate action for the nurse?
Contact a local priest to complete the anointing of the sick ritual.
The son of a dying female client 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?
Contact the chaplain to arrange a visit with the client.
A client in a long-term care facility has recently begun to refuse to cooperate with the staff, is having difficulty agreeing with the treatment goals suggested by the nurse, and is showing more stress when the family goes home. What is the best response from the nurse?
Question the client concerning spiritual concerns
An older adult client is spiritual and has a deep faith. The client asks the nurse to say a prayer for the client. The nurse, who is not very comfortable praying out loud, wants to honor the client's request. What would be the best action by the nurse?
Read a printed interfaith prayer to the client.
While studying religion and spirituality, the nursing student exhibits an understanding of the concepts when making which of the following statements?
Religion is a collection of spiritual beliefs and practices.
The nurse caring for a bedridden hospitalized client who states that this will be the first time that he has missed a Methodist church service in 50 years plans care based on which of the following NANDA-I diagnoses?
Spiritual Distress related to inability to attend church services evidenced by verbal states of guilt
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
A client informs the nurse about being unsure of some of the health practices as a newly practicing Jehovah's Witness. What information can the nurse share with the client regarding cultural beliefs about blood products?
Spiritual care consultants can provide support to the client.
The client is a 75-year-old widow who lost their last child to cancer last month. The client shares with the nurse that they fear being alone. To which spiritual needs does the nurse attribute this fear?
need for love and relatedness
When the client tells the nurse that she believes God's reality is personal, and that God is the creator of all beings, the nurse determines the client is expressing:
theism.
