Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41444892›Full record

ArticleBMC nursing2025

Competency-based spiritual care education program for undergraduate nursing students: a quasi-experimental study.

Sara Sitefane, Ana Afonso, Linda Ross, Wilfred Mcsherry, Isabel Rabiais, Sílvia Caldeira

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 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

6 authors.

Sara SitefaneFaculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Palma de Cima, Lisbon, 1649-023, Portugal. s-ssitefane@ucp.pt.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5329-0924
Ana AfonsoFaculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Palma de Cima, Lisbon, 1649-023, Portugal.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8566-1331
Linda RossFaculty of Life Sciences & Education, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, CF37 1DL, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3978-5952
Wilfred McsherryDepartment of Nursing and Midwifery, School of Health, Education, Policing and Sciences, University of Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0932-5875
Isabel RabiaisHigher School of Health Atlântica, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, Universidade Atlântica, Barcarena, 2730-036, Portugal.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8342-1171
Sílvia CaldeiraFaculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Palma de Cima, Lisbon, 1649-023, Portugal.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9804-2297

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe International Council of Nurses underscores the importance of integrating spirituality into holistic nursing care, advocating for the recognition and respect of individuals’ spiritual beliefs and values. Addressing this need, the European project EPICC (Enhancing Nurses’ and Midwives’ Competence in Providing Spiritual Care through Innovative Education and Compassionate Care) promotes the development of spiritual care competencies within nursing curricula. In Portugal, however, the integration of spiritual care education in undergraduate nursing programmes remains inconsistent.

aimThis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a digitally mediated pedagogical intervention, based on the EPICC Spiritual Care Education Standard, in enhancing spiritual care competencies among undergraduate nursing students in Portugal.

methodsThis quasi-experimental study, conducted in partnership with the University of South Wales during the first semester of 2024, employed a non-equivalent control group pre-test and post-test design to evaluate the impact of implementing the EPICC matrix. A total of 36 undergraduate nursing students from a Portuguese nursing school participated in a hybrid course, using a digital tool to support learning. The EPICC Spiritual Care Education Standard and the EPICC Spiritual Care Competency Self-Assessment Tool, both translated, validated, and culturally adapted into European Portuguese, were utilised to measure outcomes.

resultsA significant improvement in self-reported competencies across all four EPICC domains: Intrapersonal Spirituality, Interpersonal Spirituality, Spiritual Care Assessment and Planning, and Spiritual Care Intervention and Evaluation were demonstrated. Course satisfaction was reported by 80.5% of participants, usability of the digital resource by 77.7%, and 94.4% indicated they would recommend the course to others.

conclusionsThe study demonstrates the potential of the EPICC framework to enhance spiritual care competencies among nursing students. These results support the integration of evidence-based spiritual care education into Portuguese undergraduate nursing curricula, facilitated through digital pedagogical approaches.

Indexed as

Competency-based educationEPICCMidwiferyOnline programQuasi-experimental designSpiritual careStudents, Nursing

Identifiers

PMID41444892
PMCPMC12729864

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.