Spiritual Uncertainty Among Hospice Providers: “There Were Tensions”

How providers of end-of-life care perceive spirituality both within themselves and for others can directly impact their ability to provide spiritual care to patients and families. Uncertainty about spirituality can contribute to the awkwardness of spiritual care. Spiritual uncertainty includes the questions, worries, and doubts people have about the meaning, beliefs, connections, self-transcendence, and value that comprise spirituality. This article reports qualitative findings from a mixed-methods study that sought to understand spiritual uncertainty among hospice providers. Data were collected from 28 hospice team members (nurses, physicians, social workers, and expressive therapist) using focus groups, reflective journals, and one-on-one interviews. An overarching theme emerged that described the tensions perceived by providers caring for hospice patients. Those tensions were further categorized as being interpersonal, intrapersonal, and transpersonal in nature. The identification of tension as a source of strain for providers delivering spiritual care is necessary to the development of future interventions that can assist providers and patients navigating end-of-life spirituality.