Designing a model for spiritual care in rehabilitation of cancer patients

Taking care of cancer patients includes rehabilitation, and rehabilitation experts emphasize on the spiritual needs of these patients. Spiritual needs are influenced by culture, which should be considered while providing spiritual care in rehabilitation. Therefore, this study was conducted aiming to present a model compatible with existing realities in Iran and its nation’s culture in order to provide spiritual care in the rehabilitation of cancer patients. This was a qualitative and grounded theory study performed in 2012. The main data collection method was semi-structured interviews with 28 individuals including 18 cancer patients in one of hospitals in Tehran (with their families), 6 oncology nurses, 1 physician, 2 psychologists, and 1 clergyman. During the two stages of this study, first, the participants’ experiences were explained via the ground theory. Then using the findings of the grounded theory and review of the literature, the appropriate model was designed with the three-stage method of Walker and Awant: 1. Specifying the key concepts, 2. Reviewing of the literature, and 3. Organization of concepts and expressions in a whole framework. The findings showed that the core category is the need for support, based on which the grounded theory of “endeavor to achieve support” and the “support-based spiritual rehabilitation care model” were presented. The model contained two components i.e. supporting the patient directly (administering the systematic process of spiritual care) and indirectly (enabling the nurses, establishing a team for the spiritual care in the rehabilitation, developing spiritual competency in the nurses, and supporting the family). According to this model, recognizing and meeting the spiritual needs in patients by a systematic approach, developing of knowledge and sensitivity in the nurses regarding these needs, developing spiritual competency and enabling in the nurses, and supporting the family are necessary for providing spiritual care during rehabilitation