Spiritual Care Practices of Advanced Practice Nurses: A Multinational Study

Spiritual care is increasingly being recognized by governing bodies and patients as central to the work of advanced practiced nurses (APNs), whose work is expanding globally. In this study we sought to determine how APNs integrate spiritual care into clinical practice and potentially uncover barriers, to doing so in the United States and Europe. We found that nearly 93% of participants recognized that patients have spiritual care needs, but only about two thirds of participants reported actively engaging in spiritual care practices. Furthermore, increased training reduced discomfort with provision of spiritual care, and this training, empowered APNs to work without the, help of clergy.