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Background and Purpose. This paper addresses physical therapists that face patients who are experiencing health challenges requiring the ability to cope with life-altering circumstances. One tool that physical therapists can use to help patients cope is to address a patient's spiritual or religious beliefs. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the role of the spiritual domain - which includes the patient's spiritual and/or religious beliefs - in physical therapy practice; advocate for the inclusion of the spiritual domain in physical therapist curricula; and identify educational goals, content, and strategies used in teaching spirituality/spiritual domain in either postgraduate or professional doctor of physical therapy curricula.
Position and Rationale. Content on the role of spirituality in physical therapy practice should be included in physical therapy curricula because of its relevance as a tool to reorganize life experiences, a coping mechanism and component of pain control, and as an aspect of wellness and cultural competence. The inclusion of the spiritual domain in the physical therapy plan of care reflects 2 core values of the profession: compassion/caring and professional duty. However, only a limited number of physical therapists receive formal training in the spiritual domain. Physical therapist students can improve their level of comfort with the spiritual domain through exposure to the concepts, discussion, and reflection regarding their own beliefs.
Conclusion and Recommendations. Educational goals, content, educational theories, and teaching strategies provided in this paper may help the physical therapy educator provide meaningful learning experiences in the spiritual domain. Opportunities to engage in active-learning activities, including reflection on the spiritual domain in physical therapy practice, may result in increased level of comfort for students and improved outcomes for patients.
Key Words: Spirituality, Spiritual domain, Physical therapy, Education, Core values.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Physical therapists must practice in a culturally competent manner, which includes attention to the spiritual domain, that is, the patient's/client's religious and/or spiritual beliefs. In the Blueprint for Teaching Cultural Competence in Physical Therapy Education1, found on the Commission on Accreditation for Physical Therapy Education's (CAPTE) Web site, culture is defined as "the integrated patterns of human behavior that include thoughts, communications, actions, beliefs, customs, as well as institutions of racial, ethnic, religious or social groups."(p4) Religion is defined as rules, rites, and rituals...