The Relationship Between Therapeutic Communication Skills and Spiritual Care Competencies of Nurses: The Example of Türkiye

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This study aims to examine the relationship between nurses' therapeutic communication skills and their spiritual care competencies. A cross-sectional, correlational research design was used. The study sample consisted of 215 nurses employed at a training and research hospital in Türkiye (n = 215). Data were collected using a descriptive data form, the Therapeutic Communication Skills Scale for Nurses, and the Spiritual Care Competence Scale. As a result of this research, it was determined that the therapeutic communication skills of the nurses were moderate, their spiritual care competence was high, and almost all of the nurses thought that it was necessary to provide spiritual care to patients and that spiritual care had an effect on the recovery of patients. A positive correlation was found between nurses' therapeutic communication skill levels and spiritual care competencies. In addition, higher levels of therapeutic communication skills were found to affect spiritual care competencies positively. In line with these results, it is thought that increasing the therapeutic communication skills of nurses will increase their spiritual care competence, and it is recommended that initiatives be carried out to increase the therapeutic communication skill levels of nurses and similar studies be carried out in different institutions.