Challenges Of Nurses In Providing Spiritual Care To Critically Ill Children, Considering Their Specific Needs

Providing spiritual care to critically ill children presents significant challenges for nurses, as it requires addressing not only the child’s physical and emotional needs but also their spiritual and existential concerns. These challenges are intensified by the child’s developmental stage, family involvement, and ethical dilemmas. This article addresses the challenges of nurses in providing spiritual care to terminally ill children, taking into account their specific needs. Children at different ages experience illness in distinct ways, requiring tailored spiritual care approaches. For instance, infants and toddlers may need physical comfort and soothing presence, while older children and adolescents may seek deeper conversations about illness and death. The family’s role is crucial in spiritual care, as parents often seek religious or spiritual comfort. Nurses must respect and integrate the family’s beliefs while also attending to the child’s spiritual needs. However, many nurses face barriers such as a lack of formal training in spiritual care, making them less equipped to address these complex issues. Ethical dilemmas may arise when there are conflicting beliefs between the healthcare team and family members regarding treatment or spiritual care. Additionally, the emotional strain of working in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) can lead to compassion fatigue, burnout, and moral distress. Nurses often witness suffering and may experience emotional challenges of their own. Therefore, providing spiritual care requires not only emotional and technical skills but also the ability to manage personal emotional responses to challenging situations. Despite these barriers, strategies such as a holistic approach to care, spiritual assessments, and interdisciplinary collaboration can help nurses better address the spiritual needs of critically ill children. Continued education and institutional support are essential to prepare nurses for these challenges, offering training on cultural competence, spiritual care, and self-care strategies to mitigate emotional distress. In conclusion, the challenges nurses face in providing spiritual care to critically ill children are multifaceted, involving developmental, emotional, and ethical aspects. Through a comprehensive, compassionate, and culturally sensitive approach, nurses can better meet the spiritual needs of children and their families, fostering well-being during times of crisis.

کلیدواژه ها:

Spiritual Care ، Pediatric Nursing ، Critically Ill Children ، Family Involvement ، Ethical Dilemmas