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Spirituality in the continuing education of healthcare professionals: An approach to palliative care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2019

Luciana Winterkorn Dezorzi ,
Marcia Mocellin Raymundo ,
José Roberto Goldim  and
Ceres Andréia Vieira de Oliveira
Luciana Winterkorn Dezorzi*
Affiliation:
Graduate Program in Medical Sciences of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, RS Center for Interdisciplinary Health and Spirituality Studies of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre Research Laboratory of Bioethics and Ethics in Science of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre
Marcia Mocellin Raymundo
Affiliation:
Research Laboratory of Bioethics and Ethics in Science of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre
José Roberto Goldim
Affiliation:
Graduate Program in Medical Sciences of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, RS Research Laboratory of Bioethics and Ethics in Science of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre
Ceres Andréia Vieira de Oliveira
Affiliation:
Research Laboratory of Bioethics and Ethics in Science of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre
*
Author for correspondence: Luciana Winterkorn Dezorzi, R.N., Ph.D., Research Laboratory of Bioethics and Ethics in Science, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Ramiro Barcelos Street, 2350, Room 183F - Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil93035903. E-mail: ldezorzi@hcpa.edu.br
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Abstract

Objective

A major barrier to the adoption of an approach that integrates spirituality into palliative care is the lack of preparation/education of healthcare professionals on the topic. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a continuing education activity for healthcare professionals addressing spirituality and spiritual care provision to patients and families within palliative care.

Method

We conducted an intervention study using a quantitative pre- and posttest design in a convenience sample of 52 healthcare professionals. Participants completed the Brazilian version of the Spiritual Care Competence Scale before and after attending a four-hour continuing education activity.

Result

Significant differences were observed between pre- and postintervention scores in the following dimensions: assessment and implementation of spiritual care, professionalization and improving the quality of spiritual care, personal support, and patient counseling (p < 0.001), and referral (p = 0.003).

Significance of results

The results of this study provide preliminary evidence of a positive effect of this educational intervention on the development of the competences needed by healthcare professionals to deliver a comprehensive approach centered on the patient/family, which includes attention to spirituality and spiritual care in the decision-making process.

Keywords

Spirituality in palliative careSpiritual careContinuing educationEducation of healthcare professionals
Type
Original Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 17 , Issue 6 , December 2019 , pp. 662 - 667
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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