Spiritual care competence and its relationship with self‐efficacy: an online survey among nurses in mainland China

AIMS To explore the spiritual care competence among nurses in mainland China and determine its relationships with their self-efficacy and personal characteristics. BACKGROUNDS Nurses' perception of competence in spiritual care has critical effects on their own practice. Having a view of the nurses' spiritual care competence would help nurse managers recognize the weakness of spiritual practice. METHODS A descriptive cross-sectional study using online survey methods was carried out in 2970 Chinese nurses. Spiritual care competence scale and General Self-Efficacy Scale were used to collect the data. RESULTS The total score of Spiritual care competence scale was 58.5 (16.05). The highest score on competence was for communication (3.48(0.97)) and the lowest was referral to professionals (2.25(0.93)). Positive correlation was found between spiritual care competence and self-efficacy (r=0.490, p<0.01). Results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that self-efficacy, whether or not trained, experience of caring terminal illness patients, working experiences, and first degree were the five factors associated with spiritual care competence (F=217.425, p＜0.001, R2 =26.7%). CONCLUSIONS Nurses showed different levels of competence in various dimensions of spiritual care. Their spiritual care competence was related to self-efficacy, whether or not received training, experience of caring terminal illness patients, working experiences, and first degree of nursing education. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Nurse managers have to realize that it is imperative to enhance the nurses' competence to address the spiritual care needs of patients. Appropriate ways to enhance the nurses' spiritual care competence are needed so as to improve spiritual practices.