The distinction among the concepts of comfort, well-being and QoL is often unclear.This ambiguity can lead to redundancies, gaps, and knowledge dispersion.The concepts are not surrogate terms but related concepts sharing common attributes. To analyze the differences and similarities of the concepts of comfort, well-being and quality of life (QoL). Review of concept analysis research on PubMed, Cinahl (full text) and Scielo, using the search terms "Comfort", "Well-being", "Quality of Life" and "Concept Analysis". Eighteen studies were included. Comfort is a broader holistic concept while well-being is mainly related to psycho-spiritual dimensions. QoL reflects the individual perception of satisfaction with life. The concepts are not surrogate terms, but related concepts sharing common attributes. Caution should be taken in further research, particularly as regards the correct use and framing of the concepts.

Healthcare chaplains operate in many healthcare sites internationally and yet their contribution is not always clearly understood by medical and healthcare staff. This review aims to explore the chaplains’ role in healthcare, with a view to informing best practice in future healthcare chaplaincy. Overall the extent of the provision and staffing of chaplaincy service internationally is unclear. From this review, several key spiritual and pastoral roles in healthcare emerge including a potential contribution to ethical decision making at the end of life. Healthcare chaplains are key personnel, already employed in many healthcare organizations, who are in a pivotal position to contribute to future developments of faith-based care, faith-sensitive pastoral, and spiritual care provision. They also have a new and evolving role in ethical support of patient, families and healthcare teams.

Objective: To identify the definition and defining characteristics (DCs) of spiritual distress (00066). Method: Integrative literature review. Results: Thirty-seven articles and 35 DCs were identified. Spiritual distress as a response to health problems in the context of nursing care is different from an impaired ability to experience and integrate meaning in life. Conclusions: The diagnosis misses some DCs that emerged from the literature review and lacks comprehensiveness. The domain and the class are reductionist toward its meaning. The taxonomy lacks a spiritual domain to include this and other diagnoses currently dispersed in other domains. Implications for Practice: Further content and clinical validation is needed, as well as an assessment, to determine the diagnosis' class and domain. Objectivo: Identificar o conceito e as características definidoras (CDs) de angústia espiritual (00066). Método: Revisão integrativa de literatura. Resultados: A amostra é constituída por 37 artigos e foram identificadas 35 CDs. Como resposta a problemas de saúde no contexto de cuidados de enfermagem, a angústia espiritual é diferente de uma capacidade prejudicada de integrar sentido à vida. Conclusões: O diagnóstico não inclui características definidoras que foram identificadas na revisão integrativa de literatura e é subjetivo. O domínio e a classe são reducionistas perante seu significado.A taxonomia carece de um domínio espiritual que integre este e outros diagnósticos dispersos em outros domínios. Implicações para a Prática: Novos estudos de validação de conteúdo e clínica devem ser realizados bem como uma avaliação da classe e domínio do diagnóstico.

Spirituality is a complex concept that has different meanings for different people. Spiritual care is a fundamental aspect of nursing and attending to the spiritual needs of patients may improve their health outcomes. This article, the first in a series of three, explores various definitions of spirituality, and the importance of spirituality and spiritual care in healthcare settings. The second article of this series provides an in-depth exploration of the assessment of patients’ spiritual care needs, and the third and final article in this short series discusses spiritual care nursing interventions.

Objective: Validate the nursing diagnosis spiritual distress in cancer patients. Methods: Cross-sectional approach using Richard Fehring's Clinical Diagnostic Validity Model. Findings: The prevalence of diagnosis was 40.8% in a sample of 170 patients. A total of 16 defining characteristics were validated. Expresses suffering had the highest sensitivity value and lack of meaning in life had the highest specificity value. Conclusions: The diagnosis was validated. Cancer patients in spiritual distress are in a state of suffering related to lack of meaning in life. Implications for Practice: Sensitive diagnosis tools and language are required for nurses to make accurate judgments in situations of spiritual distress. Validation in different contexts would increase the clinical evidence of this diagnosis.