Spirituality of Student Nurses*

Lee, Myung Hwa

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was to identify the level of spirituality in student nurses and to provide baseline data to develop a spirituality development education program. METHOD: The participants were 499 students in departments of nursing in 5 universities in Busan. The data were collected between June 7 and July 18, 2002. The instrument was used Howden's spirituality assessment scale. Collected data were analyzed with frequencies, percentages, Means SD, t-test F-test, Scheffe test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The SPSS program was used. RESULTS: 1) The mean score for spirituality was 101.14+/-8.70 (range 26 ~ 130). 2) The mean score for perceived health state was 3.42+/-0.80. 3) Spirituality according to general characteristics showed significant differences for sex, religion, practice experience, smoking, drinking, and climate of home. 4) Spirituality according to religious characteristics showed significant differences for influence of religion, necessity of religion, help from religion, subjectivity of God in life, reading religious books, participation in religion ceremonies. 5) There was a significant positive correlation between perceived health state and spirituality. CONCLUSION: The spirituality of the student nurses was high and differed according to sex, religion, practice experience, smoking, drinking, and climate of home, religious characteristics, spirituality, and perceived health status.