The Nurse's Role in Providing Spiritual Care - Is It OK to Pray?

In one of my nursing classes, it was presented that if a patient asks for prayer, we should all know a very "generic" prayer that wouldn't be offensive to any faith. Although I am a practicing evangelical, it isn't my place as a nurse to evangelize, but to minister to all the broken people with whom I work (Patients, family, AND staff).

It has been a very rare occasion that I have offered prayer, but when asked, I do my best not to offend.

This brought up much discussion about whether or not offering prayer falls within the scope of the nurse while providing spiritual care. Is it appropriate for nurses or doctors to pray with patients?

In the United States, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) requires that a spiritual assessment be completed on every patient.

Who or what provides the patient with strength and hope?
Does the patient use prayer in their life?
How does the patient express their spirituality?
How would the patient describe their philosophy of life?
What type of spiritual/religious support does the patient desire?
What is the name of the patient's clergy, ministers, chaplains, pastor, rabbi?
What does suffering mean to the patient?
What does dying mean to the patient?
What are the patient's spiritual goals?
Is there a role of church/synagogue in the patient's life?
How does your faith help the patient cope with illness?
How does the patient keep going day after day?
What helps the patient get through this health care experience?
How has illness affected the patient and his/her family?

What are key issues for patients and families in EOLC? Not surprisingly, spiritual beliefs greatly influence the death experience and decisions made at EOL. Much literature focuses on the role of the nurse in the use and termination of life support, and volumes are available on spiritual care. However, relatively little is written on the influence that spiritual beliefs have on the decisions patients and families make at EOL. Yet, a knowledge of these beliefs is essential to assisting the patient and his or her family in making choices about care.


Clearly, resources are needed to help healthcare professionals care for patients near EOL. Specifically, more definitive documentation tools are needed for gathering data related to EOLC decisions. This article addresses key issues in EOLC and offers a new assessment GUIDE to facilitate spiritual assessment so that patient and family wishes can be better represented in EOLC.