Spiritual Needs of a Patient

The Spiritual Needs of Patients
These questions are used to probe the needs of the patient.

1. How do you make sense of the illness?

2. What does this illness mean for you, your future, your family’s future?

3. How are you going to cope with this illness?

4. What are some of the burdens if any you have felt or carried in your heart?

5. Beside the physical discomfort, what changes would take place in your life due to the illness?

6. What purpose and meaning have you found or contemplated upon in the midst of illness?

7. What renewed purpose and meaning do you have in order to continue to fight illness?

8. What can you still contribute despite your illness?

9. What are some religious and spiritual beliefs that lie at the core of your being that gives life purpose and meaning to you in these circumstances?

10. What are some religious or spiritual beliefs that become increasingly important to you that need to be acknowledged, respected and supported?

11. What is your religious background or spiritual upbringing, or faith group?

12. What is the name of your church or religious community?

13. Did you contact your religious group or faith community for prayer and support?

14. How do you get your mind off the illness and yourself in order to deal with the obsessive preoccupation with self that almost always accompanies serious illness?

15. What are some spiritual matters that are on your mind which help put your own concerns in perspective?

16. Who would you think of beyond yourself?

17. Is there anyone who you would need to call and talk to?

18. What are some of your anxieties, worries, and fears?

19. How can I/we help assist you in any way to feel in control or regain the control that you may perceive as taking it away from you?

20. What are some spiritual beliefs that help you to regain control over these situations?

21. How important or significant God is in your life?

22. How have you felt connected or cared for during this illness?

23. Does this hospitalization and illness make you feel isolated from others?

24. Has someone from your church, your pastor visited and/or is praying for you?

25. How do you stay connected with others and to God so that loneliness is addressed?

26. When do you realize that you cannot live forever?

27. Is there any fear of death or of the process of dying like the discomfort, isolation and loss of control associated with it?

28. How would your spiritual beliefs provide a world-view that makes sense of life, death and suffering and give answers that medicine and science cannot provide?

29. Do you feel spiritually ready to die? Is there any fear of punishment after you die or worry about your relationship with God?

30. When confronting your ultimate mortality, how do you feel about the need to forgive and be forgiven?

31. What will help you forgive others and accept forgiveness yourself, releasing you from the emotional turmoil that guilt and bitterness produce?

32. Is there anyone you need to talk to or reconcile?

33. What are you thankful for in the midst of illness?

34. What would help you adapt more quickly to illness and maintain a positive outlook?

35. What are some religious beliefs and stories that encourage an attitude-of-gratitude

36. What role models help you be more thankful or grateful?

37. What is your hope?

38. What would motivate you not to give up or neglect yourself?

39. How do you help others who are trying to help you?

40. What are some of the spiritual beliefs that provide a powerful source of hope for you?

Pastor Linh