Julie ruiz facebook

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From my perspective, I believe that spirituality is the common thread that ties all of us together. We may all come from different backgrounds, cultural and religious upbringings but through spirituality we can examine ourselves through an introspective lens. Spirituality is how we connect to ourselves and our soul in the absence of our material environment and how we search for meaning and a deeper purpose for our lives. Spirituality cannot be explored using scientific methods because it involves deeply personal, subjective experiences, and in this it differs from the over-riding ambition of science: to be objective. (Culliford, 2011, p. 1)

According to Puchalski (2001), spirituality can be highly influential in the way patients face illness, suffering and mortality. As nurses, we should understand and incorporate spiritual care into our everyday practice. Spiritual care includes serving the patient as a whole person—the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual (Puchalski, 2001). My belief is that through spiritual care, we can provide care that interconnects all humanity. I recognize that my beliefs may be different from my patients and supporting and encouraging their spiritual practice that guides and heals them is essential for the compassionate care I provide. Working as a nurse on a behavioral health unit, I often see patients in trauma, despair, and a sense of hopelessness. Recognizing how spirituality and faith can uplift an individual can re-establish a sense of hope and provide comfort at a time when they may need it the most.