Creating conditions for good nursing by attending to the spiritual

To note similarities, differences, and gaps in the literature on good nursing and spiritual care.

Good nursing care is essential for meeting patient health needs. With growing recognition of the role of spirituality in health, understanding spiritual care as it relates to good nursing is important, especially as spiritual care has been recognized as the most neglected area of nursing care.

Nursing research, reports and discussion articles from a variety of countries were reviewed on the topics of good nursing, spiritual care and spirituality.

A nurse's spirituality and the nurse-patient relationship are integral to spiritual care and good nursing.

There are many commonalities between good nursing and spiritual care. Personal attributes of the nurse are described in similar terms in research on spiritual care and good nursing. Professional attributes common to good nursing and spiritual care are the nurse-patient relationship, assessment skills and communication skills.

Good nursing through spiritual care is facilitated by personal spirituality, training in spiritual care and a culture that implements changes supportive of spiritual care. Further research is needed to address limitations in the scope of literature.