Availability, usability, and commercialization of digital spiritual care educational resources for healthcare professionals: an exploratory scoping review

International discourse on effective educational practices in spiritual care has highlighted the potential of online programmes to enhance learning and contribute to sustained spiritual care provision. This scoping review aims to map existing digital education resources for spiritual care generalists and specialists, with a focus on their usability and commercialization. A comprehensive, multilingual search was conducted across four databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science Core Collection and PsycINFO), supplemented by a systematized search of grey literature. The review identified a wide range of digital learning programs that vary in format, target audience, and geographic origin. Considerable variation was found in terms of usability features and commercial availability. However, the multitude of programs contrasts with a notable lack of scientific evaluation of their effectiveness. The extent to which these digital resources support sustainable spiritual care delivery within healthcare settings remains unclear.