Master's Theses

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Date of Award

Fall 2007

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Department

Nursing

Advisor

Dr. Liane Connelly

Abstract

The past decade has seen a greater emphasis and focus on alternative medicine, fostering a more holistic approach within health care. With an increasing commitment to holistic care, conceptualization and understanding of spirituality is being encouraged (Johnson. 1998). It is noted that recent studies report nurses experience spiritual benefits from their interactions with patients and families (Jackson. 2004) and a healing experience exists for both nurses and the patients for whom they care. This investigation proposed that a spiritual care perspective would increase job satisfaction among nurses. For this research investigation, Sister Callista Roy's (1970) Adaptation Model was utilized. Acute care nurses undergo daily changes and challenges and must be able to adapt. In Roy's model these occurrences are described as persons receiving stimuli from the environment, a response to that stimuli being made and then adaptation taking place. This investigation consisted of a level two, quantitative, non-experimental, correlational design. A convenience sample was used with participants from selected acute care settings in two Midwest states. The participants were registered nurses (RNs) in acute care employed by their current employer for a time period of six months or more. A total of 250 registered nurses were invited to participate in this investigation. Packets were distributed to nursing staff members at the two rural Nebraska hospitals and one rural Kansas hospital serving as research sites for this investigation. Of the 250 packets distributed, 66 packets were completed and returned. Two instruments were used to measure the proposed relationships. This exploratory investigation allowed the measurement of the subjects' responses for job satisfaction on the Work Quality lndex (WQI), (1997) and their individual thoughts on spirituality and nursing, comfort level and use of spiritual care with patients on the Spiritual Care Perspective Scale (SCPS) - Revised (Taylor. 1995). According to the analysis of data, the conclusions drawn from this research investigation is that there was a statistically significant relationship r (64) = .26. p = .025 between spiritual care perspective and job satisfaction among acute care RNs. There was no statistically significant relationship r (64) = .076, P = .542 found between years at current organization/facility and job satisfaction and no statistically significant relationship r (64) = .138. P = .270 between years at current organization/facility and spiritual care perspective. Based on the findings of this investigation, recommendations for nursing research, nursing theory, nursing practice and nursing education were made.

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© 2007 Tracy L. Keeling

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