Pharmacy and nursing students’ perceptions regarding the role of spirituality in professional education and practice

Bobby Jacob, Tuong Vi Huynh, Annesha White, Angela Shogbon Nwaesei, Robyn Lorys, Wesley Barker, Jeffrey Hall, Lucy Bush, W. Loyd Allen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective. To compare first-year student pharmacists and nursing students with respect to their spirituality and perceptions of the role of spirituality in professional education and practice. Methods. This was a five-year, cross-sectional study. All first-year student pharmacists and nursing students were invited to participate in the survey during the first week of the fall semester in 2012 through 2016. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results. A total of 1,084 students participated, including 735 student pharmacists and 349 nursing students. Significant differences in baseline demographics were noted between the groups. Students in both groups reported having frequent spiritual experiences. A significantly larger percentage of nursing students reported these experiences compared to student pharmacists. Furthermore, compared with student pharmacists, nursing students were more likely to anticipate that spirituality would play a role in their academic course work (76% vs 58%) and professional practice (90% vs 74%). Conclusion. Student pharmacists and nursing students reported having frequent spiritual experiences, and both groups anticipated that spirituality would be incorporated into their education and professional practice.

Original languageEnglish
Article number7777
Pages (from-to)1218-1225
Number of pages8
JournalAmerican journal of pharmaceutical education
Volume84
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020

Keywords

  • Nursing student
  • Professional education
  • Religion
  • Spirituality
  • Student pharmacist

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