Historically nurses and social workers have been educated primarily to care for the physiological, psychosocial and emotional needs of patients with little emphasis on attending to their spiritual needs. However, holistic care encompasses the physiological, psychosocial and spiritual needs. I have provided spiritual support to my patients throughout my professional life without any formal educational guidelines relative to meeting their needs. Notably, I provide conseling services to meet the psychosocial and emotional needs of patients and families. These needs are more critical as patients and families confront the uncertainty and disequilibria that hospitalization produces. They can be related to new diagnosis of a serious life threatening condition (death and dying issues) and issues of physical and psychological disability.

Also, I have been reluctantly providing spiritual support with fear that I may be seen by others as imposing my own religious preference on patients and families of other religious beliefs.

Indeed, the Saline Process training has given me the education, spiritual wisdom and the tool for a sustainable Christ-like education in my chosen professions. It has been very informative, educative and relevant to my current work. With the newly acquired skills, I am confident that I can now independently take on the daily process of bringing Christ to my patients and their families on a daily basis.

Sianeh Juah (Nurse/social worker) - Liberia