"Touching Beyond the Body": A Qualitative Study of Spiritual Care Experiences among Hemodialysis Nurses in Türkiye

This study aimed to examine in depth the spiritual care experiences of nurses working in hemodialysis units in Türkiye. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed, and data were collected through in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 10 hemodialysis nurses working in public hospitals in western Türkiye. A total of 12 eligible nurses were invited, and 10 participated in the study, resulting in a response rate of 83.3%. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological analysis method with MAXQDA 2022 software. The findings were grouped under four main themes: definition of spiritual care, effects of spiritual care, barriers to spiritual care, and suggestions for improving spiritual care. The results showed that nurses perceive spiritual care as a holistic approach involving empathy, respect for privacy, therapeutic communication, and emotional support. However, excessive workload, lack of time, and insufficient organizational support were identified as key barriers. Strengthening institutional support and training programs is recommended to improve the integration of spiritual care into clinical practice.