Background: Spiritual care is a crucial component of oncology nursing, addressing patients' holistic needs. However, limited research has explored spiritual well-being, competence, practices, and barriers among oncology nurses, particularly within specific cultural and religious contexts.
Objective: To assess spiritual well-being and its predictors, including perceived competence, practices, and barriers to providing spiritual care among oncology nurses in Oman.
Methods: A descriptive correlational study was conducted with 422 oncology nurses from 3 cancer care centers in Muscat, Oman. Convenience sampling was used, and data were collected through validated instruments, including the Spiritual Well-being Scale, Spiritual Care Competence Scale, Nurse Spiritual Care Therapeutics Scale, and Spiritual Care Practice Questionnaire. SPSS version 27 was used for data analysis, using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, independent t tests, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression.
Results: Nurses exhibited high spiritual well-being (mean, 102.1 [SD, 14.7]) and moderate spiritual care competence (mean, 96.1 [SD, 19.1]), yet spiritual care practices were infrequent (mean, 37.6 [SD, 13.1]). Major barriers included beliefs about the privacy of patients' spirituality (59.5%) and lack of time (54.7%). Higher competence and prior oncology training were significantly associated with greater spiritual well-being.
Conclusions: Although oncology nurses in Oman report high spiritual well-being, barriers such as time constraints and role perceptions hinder spiritual care practices.
Implications for practice: Targeted education and training programs are essential to enhance spiritual care delivery. Addressing systemic challenges, including time management and role clarity, can foster a supportive environment for integrating spiritual care into oncology nursing.
Keywords: Barriers; Competence; Oman; Oncology nursing; Spiritual care; Spiritual well-being.
Copyright © 2025 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
