What the study found
The study found that oncology nurses in Saudi Arabia did not treat spiritual care as separate religious tasks. Instead, they described it as an integrated part of everyday nursing, grounded in Islamic moral and spiritual values.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that the findings indicate a need for culturally responsive spiritual care education and institutional frameworks. They say these should recognize spiritual care as a core professional nursing competency within Islamic healthcare settings.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used a descriptive phenomenological design, which is a qualitative approach for studying lived experience, and analyzed the interviews with Colaizzi's method. They conducted in-depth interviews with 22 registered oncology nurses in three cancer centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
What worked and what didn't
Five themes emerged: spiritual care through an Islamic lens; the sacred dimensions of nursing practice; navigating professional and religious boundaries; family-centered spiritual support; and nurses' personal spiritual resources and challenges. Spiritual care was described as compassionate presence, ethical mediation, family facilitation, and meaning-centered communication, often experienced as a form of worship (ibādah).
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe quantitative measures or comparisons with other settings. It also does not provide detailed limitations beyond the study's focus on oncology nurses in three cancer centers in Riyadh.
Key points
- Oncology nurses in Saudi Arabia described spiritual care as part of ordinary nursing practice, not as a separate set of religious acts.
- Spiritual care was linked to Islamic moral and spiritual values and sometimes described as worship (ibādah).
- Five themes were identified, including professional and religious boundaries, family-centered support, and personal spiritual resources and challenges.
- The authors say the findings support culturally responsive education and institutional frameworks for spiritual care.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Saudi oncology nurses framed spiritual care as integrated nursing practice
- Authors:
- Waleed M. Alshehri, Asrar Almutairi, Rayhanah R. Almutairi, Abdulaziz M. Alodhailah, Wjdan Almutairi, Ashwaq A. Almutairi, Thurayya Eid
- Institutions:
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Saud Medical City, King Saud Medical City, King Saud Medical City, King Saud University, King Saud University, King Saud University, Monash Health, Monash Health, Monash University, Monash University, National Guard Health Affairs, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University
- Publication date:
- 2026-01-21
- OpenAlex record:
- View
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with scholarly research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.