Forgiveness and Spiritual Distress: Implications for Nursing

Spirituality, spiritual distress, and forgiveness are constructs relevant to nursing diagnoses and care planning. Forgiveness has significant implications, as it contributes to the spirituality of the individual and has been linked to positive and negative health outcomes. In clinical practice, forgiveness facilitation, grief work facilitation, and spiritual growth facilitation are evidence-based nursing interventions to address Spiritual Distress. Need exists to enhance spiritual distress and forgiveness within nursing curricula, patient assessment, and research designs.