Prerequisites for provision of spiritual care in the neonatal intensive care unit in Iran: a qualitative study

Abstract Background: Spiritual care in line with the holistic and comprehensive care is the important need for families with children who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit. Objectives: This study aimed to explore perceptions of health care providers' regarding the spiritual care of parents with a newborn in the neonatal intensive care unit in Iran.Materials/Patients and Methods: This study was conducted using qualitative content analysis which includes open coding, creating classification, and abstraction. Eight nurses and one doctor were chosen to be interviewed by a purposeful sampling method.Results: Based on data analysis three categories of nurses' support need for spiritual care and the necessity of changes in structural conditions were identified.Conclusions: Hospital administrators must adopt measures to change the neonatal intensive care unit circumstances. Also, it is mandated that nurse managers plan training about the importance of providing spiritual care to patients and families.