The Lourdes Pilgrimage: A Hidden Treasure to Incorporate Spiritual Care into Nursing Education

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2020

Abstract

Nurses are expected to provide spiritual care to patients. Even though standards provided by accreditation organizations, national nursing organizations, and the national RN licensure examination outline the expectation that nurses are to offer spiritual care to patients, the provision of spiritual care is often limited owing to time constraints and a lack of education. This article shares how the Lourdes Pilgrimage is offered to Fairfield University nursing students to provide an experiential learning opportunity to promote the understanding of spiritual care. Achievement of spiritual outcomes through the Lourdes Pilgrimage experience are assessed through reflective writings, debriefing sessions with the sponsor, faculty, and priests, as well as oral and visual presentations to the student body.

DOI

10.1177/2056997119891192

Publication

International Journal of Christianity & Education

Volume

24

Issue

3

Publisher

SAGE Journals

Pages

284-295

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