35.0: Introduction

If you were to ask 100 people what spirituality means, you would likely get 100 different answers. These diverse answers would likely reveal a person’s innermost beliefs and values, as well as the meaning and purpose they derive from life and their relationships with the world around them. For many people, spirituality drives their decisions and provides comfort and resilience during difficult life experiences, including illness (Balboni et al., 2022). Consequently, understanding a patient’s spiritual beliefs and needs—including recognizing how they may differ from one’s own—is one of the most important parts of providing culturally aware, compassionate, and comprehensive nursing care. In this chapter, you will learn how to have open, respectful conversations with patients about their spiritual needs and identify the evidence-based practices that will help you meet those needs.