The importance of spirituality in hospice work: a study of hospice professionals

Only recently has the spiritual aspect of care received attention in our professional literature. In order to explore the relationship between spirituality and job satisfaction for professionals employed in the hospice field, the authors sent questionnaires to hospice directors in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The findings strongly indicate that hospice professionals are a spiritual group, being more spiritual in their personal lives than in their professional work. Professionals who described themselves as more spiritual also experienced greater satisfaction in hospice work. Job-related satisfaction, however, was dependent on factors other than spirituality. The findings support the contention that spiritual care is too critical to be left to clergy.