Learning spiritual dimensions of care from a historical perspective

The purpose of this article is to bring to focus an historical perspective to the subject of spirituality in nurse education. In doing so, the historical roots of spirituality in nursing are traced and commented. Whilst acknowledging the emerging perspectives on spirituality (Simsen 1986, Burnard 1986, 1987, Narayanasamy 1991, 1993, Harrison 1993, Bradshaw 1994, Ross 1995, Oldnall 1996, McSherry & Draper 1998) this paper attempts to address its historical dimension, which is presently lacking in the nursing literature. In order to address this historical gap in spirituality, this paper begins by looking at the spiritual influences of nursing in ancient civilizations like Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, Palestine, India, Greece and Rome and then examines the influence of Christianity. After this, the spiritual dimension of nursing is portrayed as it was in the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries. Finally, the emerging nursing theories and their positions on spirituality (including those of humanists) are reviewed and commented. It is hoped that this paper, through a brief review of events, has begun to highlight the significance of the precursor to spirituality in nursing from an historical perspective. It is concluded that contemporary literature suggests there is scope for development of educational programmes to better equip nurses to meet patients' spiritual needs.