Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41388410›Full record

ArticleBMC nursing2025

Integrating the spiritual dimension in long-term care: a mixed methods evaluation of a multicomponent intervention for nursing home teams.

Niecky Fruneaux-van Amerongen, Anke Persoon, Ewald Bronkhorst, Yvonne Engels

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC nursing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Niecky Fruneaux-van AmerongenDepartment of Spiritual Care, Liemerije, Hunneveldweg 12, Zevenaar, 6903ZN, The Netherlands. niecky.fruneaux@liemerije.nl.
Anke PersoonDepartment of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Ewald BronkhorstDepartment for Health Evidence, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Yvonne EngelsDepartment of Anaesthesiology, Pain, and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMoving to a nursing home has a major existential impact on the lives of residents and their relatives. Healthcare professionals who have daily contact with residents have many opportunities to pay attention to existential and spiritual issues. To support them, the Dutch multidisciplinary guideline on existential and spiritual aspects of palliative care was developed. However, many healthcare professionals report a perceived lack of competence in this domain and it remains unclear what they need to effectively translate the theory and tools from the guideline into daily practice. The multicomponent intervention 'Insight into meaning' (Zicht op zingeving) was developed, to facilitate the integration of the spiritual dimension into the daily practice of healthcare professionals. It consisted of structured training sessions, individualized on-the-job coaching and team intervision meetings. This study aimed to examine the effects of the intervention by exploring how healthcare professionals assess their spiritual competencies before and after the intervention, the focus of their coaching questions and learning outcomes during individual on-the-job coaching, and how they apply spiritual skills in daily practice.

methodsA mixed method experimental design was used to examine the effects of a multicomponent intervention on two wards of a Dutch nursing home. The study included 44 healthcare professionals: primarily certified nurse assistants and client support workers. Participants were recruited via non-probability volunteer sampling and completed the Spiritual Care Competency Scale (SCCS) before and after the intervention. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired samples t-tests. Qualitative data were collected via coach registration forms and analyzed using thematic and deductive content analysis to explore participants' coaching questions, learning outcomes, and observed spiritual competencies.

resultsSCCS total and subscale scores showed statically significant improvements for pre- to post intervention (n=19; Δ0.50). Participants foremost frequently sought coaching to strengthen their role in addressing the spiritual dimension in interactions with residents. An increased awareness of their personal role in such encounters was commonly reported. Moreover, participants who did not articulate specific coaching questions appreciated the individual feedback. The observations provided valuable insight into the practical application of spiritual competency: particularly in the areas of aligning, connecting and deepening. A variety of responsive actions were noted, when healthcare professionals pay attention to what matters most to residents

conclusionsThe multicomponent intervention led to improvements in self-reported spiritual competencies among healthcare professionals. Both the training sessions and individualized on-the-job coaching contributed to heightened awareness of the spiritual dimension in daily practice. The study provided valuable insight into how theoretical frameworks and practical tools related to the spiritual dimension can be effectively integrated into the daily practice of healthcare professionals working in a nursing home setting.

Indexed as

CompetenciesMeaning in lifeNursing home carePerson-centered careSpiritual careSpirituality

Identifiers

PMID41388410
PMCPMC12817520

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.