(to preface, the first paragraph is about what I think spirituality is, and if there can be a universal definition. The second paragraph is about how I have given 'spiritual' care in my preceptorship)
I do not believe that there can be a universal, concrete definition of spirituality. I think that spirituality is so unique to every individual that trying to define it would prove impossible. I do however, agree with the definition of the human spirit in the Tinley article, which states that the spirit “is the essence of a human being, the source of life, what makes an individual uniquely human." One’s spirit however though, is something completely different from one’s spirituality; they are two completely different entities. To me, spirituality is a belief in something more, it’s what wakes you up in the morning, what gives you the drive to go on, what pulls you towards the direction you are meant to go down the path of life. When talking about each individual, their spirit is the basis of their spirituality, but each person lives this out in a different way. I do believe, however, that people can work to understand each other’s definition of spirituality. By understanding what spirituality means to others, you are able to work with them and delve down the path of spiritual care, from which both parties can learn and grow from one another
Being in the pediatric setting, I feel like I see a different side of spiritual care. With the younger infants, who are unable to talk or tell me what they are afraid of or how they need comforting, spiritual care ties into the physical comfort. To me, I see spiritual care as comforting the crying infant, whom all other interventions have failed on, except physical contact and comfort. Just this past week I had a 1 year old patient, who was alone the majority of the day, but who desperately wanted company. She would cry all day long, not because she was in pain or hungry, but simply because she wanted someone to snuggle and hold her, someone to comfort her. I realized this was what she wanted when she would immediately calm down as soon as someone stepped foot through the door, she would immediately reach for you and once you were holding her she wasn’t going to let you go. I also feel that spiritual care in pediatrics is comforting the parents by constantly keeping them updated on the plan of care or any changed in their child’s health. When an adult is stressed, especially about their child, their whole psyche is thrown off balance, including their spirituality. No parent wants to see their child suffer, and sometimes just knowing that the health care team is doing all they can helps calm everything back down. I had one parent who was very religious, however she only spoke Guatemalan, and therefore it was very difficult to communicate with her. With the language barrier I could still see how worried she was, and therefore I made sure to talk to her over the blue-phone and try my best to reassure her that her son was fine, he was not dying, and he would be going home soon. I also asked her if there was a pastor I could contact for her, I had noticed how she was constantly praying, and I was actually able to get in contact with her pastor and ask him to come up to pray with my parent because I was unable to. I feel that this act of simply asking if she wanted anyone to come talk to her helped her spiritually.
