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This version was published on August 1, 2008
Western Journal of Nursing Research, Vol. 30, No. 5, 606-619 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0193945907310560

Spirituality Expressed by Caregivers of Stroke Survivors

Linda L. Pierce

University of Toledo, College of Nursing, lpierce{at}utoledo.edu

Victoria Steiner

University of Toledo, College of Medicine

Heidi Havens

Medical Center of Rittman, Inc.

Karen Tormoehlen

University of Toledo, College of Nursing

Thirty-six caregivers of stroke survivors who are new to that role participate in a Web-based support and education intervention over the course of a year. The authors use a secondary analysis of a total of 2,148 e-mail messages that these caregivers posted to the intervention's discussion group. Rigorous content analysis is used to analyze the narrative data coded to spirituality (n = 230 e-mails). Four themes emerge and are drawn to Friedemann's (1995) framework of systemic organization: (a) feeling the presence of a greater power, (b) practicing rituals, (c) being one with nature, and (d) interacting with family and friends. Spirituality gives these caregivers hope and sustenance, but it also helps them express themselves more fully during a difficult time of change. The e-mail discussion data presented here highlight the importance of increased awareness of addressing spirituality in nurse—client encounters and designing interventions to support the caregivers.

Key Words: caregivers • population focus • spirituality • health behavior and symptom focus • community • location of care • narrative review • methods • qualitative • stroke


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