Spiritual Care or Caring Spiritually?

Abstract

Many healthcare providers have come to an understanding of the need for addressing the spiritual dimension of human beings. From aholistic view, human beings are first and foremost spirits and should be regarded as a whole, not merely their bodies (1). Contrary to the notion of looking at patients as cases of a disease occupying hospital beds and subject to different drugs or medical interventions, patients are more and more being recognized as humans who should be considered as a whole, including physical and spiritual dimensions that correlate with and influence each other. In view of the spiritual dimension overarching other dimensions of human beings (2) and the spiritual distress faced by many patients, the healthcare system should take care not to disturb the spirituality of patients but rather try to enhance and improve it (3). Spiritual care, in this way, can improve the effectiveness and quality of care services through reform in professional care by addressing spiritual needs as a part of holistic care (4).