From meanings of spirituality to the challenges of nurses In family intervention

Introduction: Spirituality incorporates key principles of family rituals that determine to be in family and being with others, involving the search for a sense of family continuity. As a field of family assessment and intervention requires nurses to promote their own spiritual health and acknowledge their spiritual needs. Objective: understand the meanings of spirituality for nurses, describe their experiences of spiritual care with families, recognizing the value assigned to the spiritual dimension in assessment and family intervention and identify the expectations of nurses in the optimization of spirituality as a resource for care. Methods: The study is qualitative, sustained on systemic thinking. The methodological approach was the Appreciative Inquiry. Participants were twenty nurses working in Primary Health Care. Appreciative Interview was used and data analysis was supported by content analysis. Results: The following categories of analysis emerged: Meanings of spirituality, Spiritual care experiences with their families; Value assigned to the spiritual dimension in assessment and family intervention. Spirituality stands out as a multidimensional belief concept (bodily, emotional and relational), lived with families mostly in contexts of suffering and end of life. Nurses value this dimension by associating it with respect, authenticity and holism. Conclusions: The need for improve spirituality education and sharing experiences evidenced as key resources in the optimization of care focused on the family system.