The aim of my project was creating a spiritual care model for end-of-life needs for Muslim patients in the areas of religion, spirituality, mental and emotional health that could guide nurses and medical practitioners as to how to talk to and treat their patients.
Background
What was lacking in hospices was an accessible, practical framework their nurses and administrators could use to respond to their patients’ spiritual needs. Specifically, patients comprised of Muslims who required assistance in performing rituals whilst ill or before death, guidance in matters of belief and scripture and connecting with the wider Muslim community and mosques to locate family members.
The impact of the training and resources designed for nurses was overwhelming – patients themselves informed hospices (such as Little Havens and Farleigh) that they felt comforted at the time of their death. Nurses used the factsheet to communicate with Muslim patients; the factsheet was sent to hospices and hospitals within Essex. And finally, there was a collaboration with faith leaders all over Essex to engage in interfaith dialogue under the Essex Faith Covenant so that patients from different religious communities could have access to specific faith chaplains at the time of their death. Overall, 58 nurses were trained at Farleigh hospice; 30 at Little Havens hospice and 70 nurses and medical practitioners as part of the NHS East of England Palliative and end of life care network (PEOLC).
Project Aims
- Train nurses and medical practitioners about the Islamic view of end-of-life issues
- Acquaint them with Muslim patients' needs at the time of death
- Produce resources for hospices within Essex to assist medical directors, nurses and administrators in treating Muslim patients
Project Activity
An end-of-life workshop was carried out at Farleigh Hospice, Chelmsford on 7th September 2023 in order to train nurses and medical practitioners on the Islamic perspective of end-of-life issues and Muslim patients’ needs, link here. Following up on the event, a 4-page factsheet, titled 'A Factsheet for Hospices and Hospitals: Death and Suffering from the Islamic Perspective & the Practical Duties of Nurses/Caregivers towards Muslim Patients', was written and designed, and sent to Farleigh Hospice On 15th September 2023. Read resource here.
The training provided gained traction with the NHS East of England Palliative and End-of-Life Care Network (PEOLC). On 8th May 2024, a presentation was given at ARU Cambridge to give a keynote speech at the conference on bereavement and assisted dying, and to train nurses on the law and ethics of assisted dying. The result was that nurses are now aware of the debates surrounding assisted dying, the existential questions that arose from patients nearing their death and their legal responsibilities in advising patients from all cultural backgrounds.
Further invitations for training sessions ensued. Another presentation was given at Little Havens Hospice in Benfleet to conduct a workshop for medical staff on the theme of “Death and bereavement from a cultural perspective” on 11th June 2024. Then on 12th June 2024, a workshop was delivered to Anglia Ruskin University Nursing students, link here. Finally, on 22nd June 2024, a workshop was conducted for women involved in well-being work in faith communities by the Salaam Centre in North London to explain this model of spiritual care.
Anticipated or actual outputs
The factsheet is now a printed resource available in Farleigh for all staff to use to communicate with Muslim patients. It was also sent to Little Havens Hospice in Benfleet. The impact of both my research and factsheet therefore gained traction with medical staff beyond Farleigh showing its value and reach for other Muslim patients within Essex. The factsheet also led to discussion on broader faith and medical law issues such as suffering, assisted suicide, grief, autonomy, interfaith dialogue and community support, link here.
Papers and resources
Read the resource, titled 'A Factsheet for Hospices and Hospitals'
Who is involved?
PI - Dr. Imranali Panjwani, Senior Lecturer in Law, Anglia Ruskin University
