โมเดลความสัมพันธ์เชิงสาเหตุสมรรถนะการดูแลด้านจิตวิญญาณของนักศึกษาพยาบาล: การวิจัยแบบผสานวิธี

Yuttachai Chaiyasit; Jumlong Vongprasert; Paiwan Kotta

Authors

Yuttachai Chaiyasit Faculty of Education, Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University
Jumlong Vongprasert Faculty of Education, Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University
Paiwan Kotta Faculty of Nursing, Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University

Keywords:

causal model, mixed methods research, nursing students, spiritual care competency, spiritual care for patients

Abstract

This explanatory sequential mixed methods design, aimed to develop and validate a causal model of key factors influencing nursing students’ competencies in spiritual care, followed by a qualitative study to gain a deeper understanding of the most influential variables. The sample included 300 fourth-year nursing students from 12 Rajabhat Universities and 10 key informants. Quantitative research tools included scales measuring spiritual care competency, spiritual well-being, spiritual perception and caregiving, spiritual attitudes and related aspects, religious practice, moral intelligence, self-efficacy, and spiritual care practice. The content validity indices ranged from 0.96 to 1.00, and the reliability coefficients ranged from 0.83 to 0.97. Qualitative research tools included semi-structured in-depth interviews, field notes, and observations. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and content analysis.

The study results showed that the developed model showed a good fit to the empirical data, as evidenced by satisfactory model fit indices (χ2/df = 1.99, CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.93, RMSEA = 0.057). Spiritual well-being had the strongest influence (β = 0.68), followed by spiritual perception and caregiving (β = 0.51), spiritual perception and caregiving (β = 0.44), religious practice (β = -0.44), spiritual care practice (β = 0.30), and moral intelligence (β = -0.21). All variables together explained 57.10% of variance. Qualitative analysis indicated that spiritual well-being enhances spiritual care competence in four areas: fostering inner strength, empathy, self-awareness and understanding of the patient, compassion, and improved spiritual care.

It is recommended that nursing curricula integrate spiritual care concepts into both theoretical and practical learning, including promoting spiritual well-being, positive attitudes, and spiritual care skills to enhance the competence of nursing students in providing spiritual care for patients.

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