Inclusion of the patient’s spirituality during chemotherapy

Abstract

The relationship between spirituality and health has been studied and pointed out as a dimension that brings benefits in the promotion, protection, and recovery of health, in addition to collaborating with the combat against diseases. Thus, the objective of this study is to report an experience of a randomized clinical trial that included the spiritual dimension of patients in clinical treatment against cancer, resulting from a research that included the spirituality of cancer patients during chemotherapy. This randomized clinical trial consisted of 30 cancer patients treated at a High Complexity Care Unit in Oncology. We noticed that the patients showed surprise for having their spiritual dimension included, reporting that it was an important dimension for experiencing the moment they were going through. We also perceived the importance of including medical students in the data collection, providing opportunities for the future professional to have contact with this issue in the context of healthcare. The experience that brings such subjective, delicate, profound, and essential questions about the human being, such as spirituality and faith, allowed the researcher to develop a reflection on the need for a paradigm shift in the way of providing healthcare.