Spiritual Care by Nurses for Non-Religious Patients in Japan

Patients at the end of life experience existential suffering regardless of their religious beliefs; thus, spiritual care appropriate for non-religious patients may be required. Nurses often provide spiritual care unrelated to a particular religion or belief system. This chapter illustrates the non-religious spiritual care nurses provide in Japan by providing examples of how non-religious spiritual care has been provided, assessing patients experiencing spiritual pain and the essentials of care. Finally, strategies for spiritual care for non-religious persons aimed at spiritual healing are discussed using case examples.