Interprofessional Spiritual Care Training for Geriatric Care Providers

Despite the importance patients place on religion and spirituality, many patients with advanced diseases report that their religious and spiritual needs are not met by their health care team, and many nonchaplain clinicians feel unprepared to address religious and spiritual issues in their practice. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a one-day workshop on spiritual care for nonchaplain clinicians who provide care to elderly long-term care patients. Clinician participants (N = 68) were given a pre-survey at the beginning of the workshop, a post-survey at the conclusion of the workshop, and a three-month follow-up survey to evaluate their comfort in engaging in spiritual issues before and after the workshop. An average ability score of 13 items in the survey was calculated as well as an average comfort score, which was an average of three items in the survey. Ability scores and comfort scores were analyzed using a pairwise t-test, comparing pre- versus post-workshop and post- versus three-month scores. Overall average scores for clinicians' self-reported perceived ability in engaging in issues around spirituality with patients and their families increased from before the workshop to the post-workshop and three months later. Participants' self-perceived comfort increased from before the workshop to immediately following the workshop. This study suggests that a spiritual care training program targeted toward geriatric clinicians has the potential to provide clinicians with the tools, skills, and support they need to approach basic spiritual care with their patients and family members.