Spiritual self-care in clinical nursing: An integrative review

Spirituality and spiritual self-care are vital for addressing patients' needs, yet their meaning and scope remain poorly-defined in nursing. We aimed to provide an integrative review of spiritual self-care among clinical nurses.

This study was an integrative review. Articles were searched using the keywords related to self-care and spirituality in nursing. The search covered the period from 1960 to early March 2024 across databases including PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct, as well as the Google Scholar search engine. The initial search resulted in 12,302 articles. Finally, data were collected and analyzed using the Broome method.

Sixteen studies were included and covered diverse designs, such as qualitative research, reviews, randomized controlled and quasi-experimental studies, opinion articles, and conceptual/theoretical papers. The analysis identified three overarching themes: (1) antecedents, definitions, and dimensions of spiritual self-care; (2) practices; and (3) outcomes, highlighting improvements in nurses' physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.

We have underscored the critical role of spiritual self-care in enhancing nurses' well-being and professional development. By clarifying its key antecedents, dimensions, and practices, we have highlighted how spiritual self-care not only strengthened nurses' physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health but also improved care quality and patient outcomes. These insights may provide a foundation for developing targeted interventions and supportive policies to foster spiritual well-being among clinical nurses.