Interprofessional perspectives on providing spiritual care for patients with lung cancer in outpatient settings

PURPOSE: To explore palliative care and oncology clinicians' perspectives on current challenges and facilitating factors in meeting the spiritual needs of patients with lung cancer and family caregivers. This study was conducted in preparation for a community-based lung cancer palliative care intervention. PARTICIPANTS & SETTING: 19 oncology and palliative care clinicians in three outpatient Kaiser Permanente sites in southern California. METHODOLOGIC APPROACH: This multisite qualitative study used focus group and key informant interviews. Data were analyzed using content analysis methodology, and a team approach was used to validate findings. FINDINGS: Clinicians described facilitating factors (interprofessional team support, assessment of spiritual needs, clinician-provided spiritual support, and provision of culturally respectful spiritual care) and challenges (related to providing culturally respectful spiritual care by respecting the patients' spiritual and cultural beliefs in an open way and in advocating for the patients' wishes) they encountered when addressing patient and caregiver spiritual needs. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: This study demonstrated the need to provide nurses with practical tools, education, and a supportive environment to address patients' and family caregivers' spiritual concerns.