Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
Published on: February 16, 2011
Spiritual care as a dimension of holistic care: a relational interpretation
1Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Australia. tony.bush@rmit.edu.au
Abstract:
This article reports on a phenomenological study undertaken to explore the meaning of spiritual care as described by a group of palliative care professionals. The research process was informed by van Manen's (1990) hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Eight palliative care professionals (nurses, complementary therapists and pastoral carers) were recruited from a community palliative care agency in Melbourne, Victoria, which provided home-based palliative care. All participants were female and came from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Data were collected by in-depth conversational interviews and were analyzed thematically. Two themes emerged: 'a living nexus between spiritual care, spirituality and holism' and 'a world of relationships'. The findings of the study point to the need for healthcare professionals to incorporate spiritual care guidelines into practice in order for palliative care to be truly representative of holistic health care.
Related Concept Videos
Dimensions of Health and Illness
Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Long-Term Care Facilities
Continuing Care
Psychodynamic Therapy
Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Patient-centered Care