Israeli oncology nurses' religiosity, spiritual well-being, and attitudes toward spiritual care: a path analysis

Abstract

Purpose/objectives: To investigate the relationship among the antecedent factors of age, ethnicity, and education and the mediating variables of intrinsic religiosity, extrinsic religiosity, and spiritual well-being on Israeli oncology nurses' attitudes toward spiritual care.

Design: A correlational, explanatory study.

Sample: Members (N = 155) of the Israeli Oncology Nursing Society.

Method: Subjects completed a mailed research package. A path model guided the testing of the hypotheses.

Main research variables: Spiritual well-being, intrinsic religiosity, extrinsic religiosity, age, ethnicity, and education.

Results: Variables of interest accounted for a small but significant amount of the total variance in attitudes toward spiritual care. However, only spiritual well-being, extrinsic religiosity, and education demonstrated direct relationships with these attitudes. In addition, intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity, mediated through spiritual well-being, demonstrated indirect relationships with attitudes.

Conclusion: Nurses' attitudes toward spiritual care are influenced by their education, intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity, and spiritual well-being.

Implications for nursing: Because spiritual well-being is a good predictor of nurses' positive attitudes toward spiritual care, nurses' spiritual well-being should be supported. In addition, nursing education needs to examine ways that may support more positive attitudes toward spiritual care. Future research also should be conducted on other nursing populations and across cultures and religious affiliations.