Influence of Self-esteem, Communication and Existential Well-being on Spiritual Care Competence in Nurses

Sim, Mira; Kim, Jin; Choi, Sookyung

Abstract

PURPOSE
The World Health Organization identifies spiritual care as a component of health and thus nursing care. There is a need to identify how self-esteem, communication and existential well-being affects spiritual care competence in nurses.
METHODS
The participants were 189 nurses in G metropolitan city. The survey was conducted from March 21 to April 8, 2016, with a self-report questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, ScheffÃ© test, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis using SPSS version 21.0.
RESULTS
Differences in spiritual care competence were statistically significant according to education level, work department, position, having received spiritual care education, experience of providing spiritual care, experience of asking religionist to provide spiritual care for a patient and recognition of need for spiritual care. The spiritual care competence of nurses showed a significantly positive correlation with self-esteem, communication and existential well-being. Factors influencing spiritual care competence were communication, experience of providing spiritual care and existential well-being which explained about 37.5% of spiritual care competence.
CONCLUSION
It's necessary for nurses to develop intervention programs to strengthen spiritual care competence through improving communication, providing opportunities for spiritual care and existential well-being.