The Role of the Nurse in Spiritual Care

Spiritual care has a long history in nursing and been a source of contention and debate over several decades. The chapter examines the development of spiritual care competence for nurses providing palliative care. The chapter provides a brief background to the historical development of spiritual care and some key definitions. It is argued that competence in the delivery of spiritual care requires nurses to be adequately prepared and educated to address this sometimes-overlooked dimension of palliative care. The chapter introduces the reader to the EPICC Spiritual Care Education Standard that comprises four competences. The integration of the EPICC Standard into programmes of nurse education will ensure a more standardised approach to teaching of this concept. Adoption of the EPICC Standard will make sure nurses have the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes to provide effective and safe spiritual care. The chapter provides some simple illustrations of how nurses can provide spiritual care within palliative care.