ABSTRACT
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate the spiritual care needs and associated factors in patients with ostomy. BACKGROUND: The significance of the spiritual care needs of the patients has been emphasised across countries and cultures in the literature. DESIGN: A descriptive, cross-sectional study. METHODS: Outpatients with an ostomy (n = 127) were recruited from proctology, wound and stoma therapy unit and general surgery clinics between January and 28 March 2020. The data were collected using the Socio-demographic Characteristics Form and Spiritual Care Needs Inventory (SCNI). SCNI has two components, namely 'meaning and hope' and 'caring and respect'. Descriptive statistics, correlation, Student's t test, ANOVA and multiple linear regression analyses were used to analyse the data. The STROBE checklist was used to report the study. RESULTS: The mean scores of the spiritual care needs (65.31 ± 12.83), meaning and hope (37.35 ± 9.37), and caring and respect (27.96 ± 5.63) of the patients with ostomy were found to be moderate. The most significant factors affecting the meaning and hope component were the age, being female and decreases in the level of income. Scores of the patients who perceived the severity of the disease seriously and who practiced religious ritual regularly had more spiritual care needs for the component of caring and respect. Patients with ostomy needed interaction, respect for their privacy and dignity, to be shown concern and to be respected for their religious and cultural beliefs, which were the most salient needs. CONCLUSIONS: There is an unambiguous requirement for nurses to ensure spiritual care for patients with ostomy. Showing interest and spending time for the interaction with patients with ostomy, need-based spiritual practices and life review are key elements of spiritual care. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Evaluating patients with ostomy spiritually requires information about how spiritual needs may arise and how to talk about spiritual needs. The result of the present study may help nurses to begin the process of maintaining spiritual care for patients with ostomy.