Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Dr. Jennifer Rounds-Bryant

Abstract

AbstractSpiritual care has an important role in the caring of terminally ill patients and their families. However, there is little research demonstrating the relationship between spiritual care in palliative settings and discharge location of terminally ill patients. This study addressed spiritual care as a part of the palliative care services. A total of 186 records were reviewed from the spiritual care department at a hospital in Michigan. Kirkpatrick and Shaver’s attachment theory was used to evaluate the relationship between palliative care and discharge location. The research questions addressed the relationship between spiritual care visits, gender, age, religion, primary diagnosis, and race and palliative discharge location. Key findings indicated patients who received spiritual care visits were 71.5% less likely to be discharged to a nursing home compared to those who did not receive spiritual care visits (OR =.285; p < .001). This shows a significance difference in spiritual care visits of those patients discharged home instead of to the nursing home setting. However, gender and age were not significant in this study. The multivariate regression indicated that spiritual care, race, and caregiver availability remained significantly associated however primary diagnosis and religion did not. These findings can lead to positive social change by informing health care workers about the importance of spiritual care for palliative care patients. This may result in health care workers becoming greater advocates for spiritual care services for palliative care patients.

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