A systematic review on exploring the need for spiritual care in the perioperative phase among patients

Abdul Rashid, Nor'ain and Mohd Rakapi, Nur Husni and Johari, Jasmin and Mohamed Ludin, Salizar (2025) A systematic review on exploring the need for spiritual care in the perioperative phase among patients. Malaysian Journal of Qualitative Research, 11 (1). pp. 112-127. ISSN 1823-8521 E-ISSN 3009-0237

PDF Restricted to Registered users only Download (507kB)

Abstract

Spiritual care (SC) is an essential component of holistic patient care, particularly during the perioperative phase when patients often experience heightened anxiety, fear, and existential distress. While SC is increasingly recognized for its benefits, its implementation in surgical settings remains limited compared to palliative or chronic care environments. This systematic review explores patient perspectives and the impact of SC on recovery among perioperative patients. A comprehensive search across multiple databases identified 17 relevant studies. Findings indicate that SC interventions—such as meditation, prayer, and spiritual counseling—significantly reduce preoperative anxiety, enhance postoperative resilience, and contribute to overall well-being. Improved spiritual well-being is also linked to lower surgical anxiety and higher patient satisfaction. Additionally, SC has been shown to foster a sense of emotional stability and promote faster psychological recovery. However, despite these benefits, SC remains inconsistently integrated into perioperative care, often due to a lack of standardized guidelines and healthcare providers' varying levels of preparedness to deliver spiritual support. This review highlights the need for culturally and religiously sensitive SC approaches tailored to surgical settings. Incorporating SC into routine perioperative care requires multidisciplinary collaboration, including training healthcare professionals to recognize and address patients’ spiritual needs effectively. Future research should focus on developing standardized SC protocols to ensure consistent implementation and maximize patient benefits. By systematically integrating SC, surgical teams can enhance patient experiences, alleviate distress, and contribute to holistic healing. Strengthening the role of SC in perioperative care is essential for improving both psychological and clinical outcomes.

Item Type:	Article (Review)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Anxiety, emotional support, patient well-being, perioperative phase, recovery, spiritual care
Subjects:	R Medicine > RT Nursing R Medicine > RT Nursing > RT85.2 Religious aspects
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Nursing Kulliyyah of Nursing > Department of Critical Care Nursing
Depositing User:	Asst Prof Nor'ain Abdul Rashid
Date Deposited:	09 Jun 2025 12:30
Last Modified:	09 Jun 2025 12:30
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/121386

Actions (login required)

View Item