| dc.description.abstract | The purpose guiding this study was to determine
predictors of spiritual maturity in nursing students and
teachers in selected bachelor of science programs in Manila,
Philippines. This study may contribute to a better
understanding of spirituality in the health care context.
Spirituality was defined as a vital force that promotes
giving of wholistic care by nurses and was based on the
Neuman System Model and the Loma Linda Circle of Wholeness
Model. Both models emphasize the importance of spirituality
in nursing.
This cross-sectional survey used four instruments: the
Religious Maturity scale (Dudley & Cruise, 1990), the Faith
Maturity Scale (Thayer, 1993), the Religious Well-being
Scale (Paloutzian & Ellison, 1982), and the Spiritual
Support Scale (Genia, 1995). The sample consisted of 474
nursing students and 68 nursing teachers from six colleges.
The best predictors of student spiritual maturity were
years of religious commitment, intent to serve God
effectively, and religious background.
The best predictor of nursing teachers' spiritual maturity was religious
background. Freshmen students had significantly higher
spiritual maturity than senior nursing students, most
evident for students with over 10 years of religious
commitment or those from a non-christian background.
The most important reasons, subjects choose nursing,
were to help the sick and to serve God effectively. A
personal relationship with God enhanced the feeling of
spiritual maturlty. Quality care and the spiritual maturity
of nursing students were perceived as closely related.
Students saw spiritual fellowship activities as the best way
to improve the spiritual quality of the curriculum, while
teachers saw integration of faith and learning as most
important.
The study results indicate that the Religious Maturity
scale measured a different dimension of spiritual maturity
than did the other three scales.
Study recommendatlons include fostering spiritual
experiences for nursing students throughout their program,
holding in-service activities for teachers on how to
integrate faith and learning, discussing spiritual issues
with students, and incorporating spiritual themes and values
into classes. Nursing students should be led to realize the
critical relationship between their spiritual maturity and
their provision of quality care. The wholistic care model
should be further tested as a contribution toward nursing
theory. | en_US |
