| 14:00 | Spiritual Care in a Clinical SettingDonia Baldacchino
Spiritual care integrates the physical and psycho-social care to address client’s needs holistically. Research suggests various definitions of spiritual care which include the “doing” and the “being” dimensions of care. Being refers to the personal spirituality of the care-givers which enables the therapeutic use of self in care by means of their active presence to clients. Thus, delivery of spiritual care incorporates “being in doing”. Illness may increase the individual’s awareness of their own personal spirituality. The aim of spiritual care is to help clients to find meaning and purpose in life which may lead to spiritual well-being even in times of suffering. The care-giver’s commitment towards providing active presence in care, may leave a positive impact on client’s health. Research shows that when clinical experience is considered as a reflective journey, care-givers may acknowledge that while giving care to clients, they may also be on the receiving end. This paper presents research and the clinical model RESPECT of client’s assessment of spiritual needs. Spiritual care may yield therapeutic and holistic effects on both the client and the care-giver.  |
| 14:30 | A Framework of Competencies in Spiritual Care for Nurses and MidwifesJosephine Attard
Spiritual care was identified by nursing and midwifery educational and professional Bodies and research as an area that merits competence at point of registration. The discrepancy between the teaching of spiritual care and its delivery in clinical practice proposes the need for the development of a framework of competencies in spiritual care in order to equip nursing and midwifery students in meeting client’s spiritual needs. The research study adopting a mixed method approach is conducted under the supervision of the University of Glamorgan and University of Malta. The study aims to develop a set of competencies drafted from a systematic literature review and focus groups utilizing case scenario approach in order to identify what nurses/midwives need to know, be able to do, or think, in order to meet the spiritual needs of the clients. The identified competencies in spiritual care will undergo expert scrutiny through a Modified Delphi Method approach. This will be followed by a consultation process with nursing and midwifery organizations in Europe to ascertain views, agreement or non-agreement on identified competency items and identify factors that facilitate or hinder the integration of the framework in nursing and midwifery education and clinical practice. It is hoped that this study will prevent assumptions regarding spiritual care, guide the education and professional sectors and equip the nurses and midwives with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes in spiritual care at point of registration.
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