Int J Nurs Stud Adv. 2026 Jun 9;11:100596. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnsa.2026.100596. eCollection 2026 Dec.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Spiritual care is a core element of holistic nursing, especially in demanding settings such as emergency and intensive care units where patients often face life-threatening conditions and end-of-life challenges. Despite its importance, little is known about nurses’ competence in providing spiritual care and the factors that shape it.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore spiritual care competence and its predictors among nurses working in critical and emergency settings.
DESIGN: A cross-sectional study.
SETTINGS: The study was conducted in the emergency and intensive care units of two central hospitals in Qazvin, Iran.
PARTICIPANTS: A total of 180 nurses working in critical care and emergency units participated in the study.
METHODS: Data were collected using the Spiritual Care Competence Scale, the Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory, and the Death Attitude Profile-Revised. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 23.
RESULTS: Nurses demonstrated moderate levels of spiritual care competence (86.79 ± 4.25) and spiritual intelligence (57.15 ± 6.13). Among death attitude dimensions, neutral acceptance scored highest, while approach acceptance scored lowest. Logistic regression revealed that age, work experience, spiritual intelligence, and a positive attitude toward death were significant predictors of spiritual care competence (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Spiritual care competence among nurses is associated with personal maturity, professional experience, spiritual intelligence, and positive attitudes toward death. Integrating spiritual care education and fostering positive perspectives on death may enhance nurses’ preparedness to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care.
PMID:42359385 | PMC:PMC13292470 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijnsa.2026.100596
