The purposes of this descriptive correlation study were to examine the relationships between understanding of stressful situation, perception of spiritual needs and participation in spiritual care by Muslim caregivers of Muslim patients on mechanical ventilation. The subjects were 88 caregivers of Muslim patients on mechanical ventilation in Yala, Hat Yai, Pattani, and Narativat Hospitals during March-June 2005. A purposive sampling method was adopted to recruit the subjects. The research instruments were questionnaires which were administered by interview. Cronbach’s alpha of reliability coefficients of understanding of stressful situation by Muslim caregivers, caregivers’ perception of spiritual needs of Muslim patients on mechanical ventilation and caregivers’ participation in spiritual care of Muslim patients on mechanical ventilation questionnaires were 0.70, 0.86 and 0.79 respectively. Data analysis was performed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient.
The results showed that: There was no significant relationship between caregivers’ understanding of stressful situation and their participation in spiritual care of Muslim patients on mechanical ventilation (r = 0.14, p > 0.05), but there was a significant relationship between caregivers’ perception of the spiritual needs and their participation in spiritual care of Muslim patients on mechanical ventilation (r = 0.47, p < 0.01).
The results of this study can be used to support Muslim caregivers’ participation in spiritual care of Muslim patients on mechanical ventilation in accordance with Islamic perspectives.