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Spiritual Care in a Hospital Setting
An Empirical-theological Exploration
Series: - Empirical Studies in Theology, Volume: 13
Author:
This book reports on a theoretical and empirical study of spiritual care as a profession in health care, particularly from the angle of quality care.
Theoretically the central issues in spiritual care are analysed: quality care, medicalisation and contingency as its limit, the function of worldviews in health care, personal identity, legitimacy and position in health care, goals and tasks of the profession. Specific attention is spent to the determinants of the goals in the interaction with patients.
Empirically the attitudes of Dutch spiritual caregivers towards these issues are investigated.
The book provides insight into the professional discipline âspiritual careâ and discusses some challenges for the future: the intrinsic meaning of the plurality of worldviews within spiritual care, the institutional aspects of this spiritual care and the educational implications of spiritual care as a professional discipline. The book is particular useful for spiritual caregivers in their reflection on their practice and for education of future spiritual caregivers.
Theoretically the central issues in spiritual care are analysed: quality care, medicalisation and contingency as its limit, the function of worldviews in health care, personal identity, legitimacy and position in health care, goals and tasks of the profession. Specific attention is spent to the determinants of the goals in the interaction with patients.
Empirically the attitudes of Dutch spiritual caregivers towards these issues are investigated.
The book provides insight into the professional discipline âspiritual careâ and discusses some challenges for the future: the intrinsic meaning of the plurality of worldviews within spiritual care, the institutional aspects of this spiritual care and the educational implications of spiritual care as a professional discipline. The book is particular useful for spiritual caregivers in their reflection on their practice and for education of future spiritual caregivers.
Wim Smeets (1956) obtained a masterâs degree in educational science and theology. He heads the spiritual care department of the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre and is supervisor of the Clinical Pastoral Education Centre at this hospital. He is also involved in the pastoral studies and spiritual care courses of the Faculty of Theology in Nijmegen.
1 SPIRITUAL CARE IN A HOSPITAL SETTING: A PROBLEM
1. 1 Conceptual Framework: Health Care, Worldview and Spiritual Care
1.1.1 Health care
1.1.2 Worldview
1.1.3 Spiritual care
1.2 Research Orientation: Questions and Aim
1.2.1 Research questions
1.2.2 Research aim
1.3 Research Method
1.3.1 Data collection
1.3.2 Data analysis
1.4 Research Population
1.5 Résumé
2 ASPECTS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HEALTH CARE
2.1 Aspects of Quality Assurance at Meso Level
2.1.1 Aspects of internal quality assurance: bureaucratisation
2.1.2 Aspects of external quality assurance: professionalisation
2.1.3 Aspects of quality assurance at meso level: research findings
2.2 Aspects of Quality Assurance at Micro Level
2.2.1 Self-determination
2.2.2 Aspects of quality assurance at micro level: research findings
2.3 Résumé
3 WORLDVIEW IN HEALTH CARE
3.1 The Medical and the Worldview Approach
3.1.1 Medicalisation and contingency as its limit
3.1.2 Medicalisation and the limits of contingency: research findings
3.2 Dimensions of the Function of Worldviews in Health Care
3.2.1 Intrinsic and extrinsic function of worldviews
3.2.2 Intrinsic and extrinsic function of worldviews: research findings
3.3 Résumé
4 THE SPIRITUAL CAREGIVERS WORLDVIEW
4.1 Narrative Identity
4.1.1 Some aspects of narrative identity
4.1.2 Narrative identity: research findings
4.2 Worldview-Related Dimension of Identity
4.2.1 Worldview-related dimension of identity
4.2.2 Worldview-related dimension of identity: research findings
4.3 Résumé
5 LEGITIMACY AND POSITION OF SPIRITUAL CARE IN HEALTH CARE
5.1 Legitimacy and Position of Spiritual Care as a Professional Discipline in Health Care
5.1.1 Legitimacy and position of spiritual care as a professional discipline
5.1.2 Legitimacy and position of spiritual care as a professional discipline: research findings
5.2 Ministry and Sanctuary of Spiritual Care
5.2.1 Ministry and sanctuary in a theoretical perspective
5.2.2 Ministry and sanctuary: research findings
5.3 Résumé
6 GOALS AND TASKS OF SPIRITUAL CARE
6.1 Goals
6.1.1 Immediate goals and ultimate goal
6.1.2 Goal orientations
6.1.3 Goals and goal orientations: research findings
6.2 Tasks
6.2.1 Tasks from a theoretical perspective
6.2.2 Tasks: research findings
6.3 Résumé
7 DETERMINANTS OF SPIRITUAL CARE
7.1 Determinants of Micro Level Goals: Expectations and Outcome
7.1.1 Expected determinants of micro level goals
7.1.2 Determinants of micro level goals: research findings
7.2 A Profession at Risk
7.2.1 Principal determinants of micro level goals
7.2.2 Professional discipline, personal worldview and health care
8 SYNOPSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
8.1 Synopsis
8.2 Policy Considerations and Recommendations
Appendix 1 RESEARCH POPULATION
Appendix 2 MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
Appendix 3 TABLES
Literature
Nederlandse Samenvatting
About the Author
All those interested in the relation between health care and spirituality, and hospital chaplaincy.
