https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/343 Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:37:36 GMT 2026-04-04T15:37:36Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143844 Title: Spiritual assessment in childbirth Authors: Attard, Josephine; Prinds, Christina Abstract: There is a growing realization of the need to adopt a lifespan approach to understanding spirituality. This chapter will focus on spirituality within the context of childbirth and parenthood transition, looking at the current evidence and application within this important area of healthcare practice. It will explore firstly how mothers’ and families may experience the need for spiritual care, and secondly on the personal challenges faced by midwives in providing spiritual care and their need for support. The chapter will provide a rationale for how and why spiritual assessment is needed within midwifery practice and the events surrounding childbirth. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143844 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143842 Title: Cross-cultural adaptation of the EPICC spiritual care education standard into European Portuguese Authors: Sitefane, Sara; Afonso, Ana; De Andrade Alvarenga, Willyane; Mcsherry, Wilfred; Ross, Linda; Attard, Josephine; Rabiais, Isabel; Caldeira, Sílvia Abstract: Background: Spiritual care is a dynamic and multifaceted concept. The EPICC project, launched to improve nurses' competence in spiritual care through innovative education, supports this approach. The EPICC framework includes several tools and resources with the Spiritual Care Education Standard as the core tool. Aim: Translation, validation and cross-cultural adaptation of the EPICC Spiritual Care Education Standard into European Portuguese language and culture. Methods: Validation study using the Cross-Cultural Adaptation method. This method involves a six-step framework: translation, synthesis, back-translation, review by the expert panel (n=6), pre-testing, and concluding with the submission and approval of all documents by the original instrument authors and the expert panel. EQUATOR checklist: GRRAS. Ethical Issues and Approval: Doctoral research project (approved by the Ethics Committee on 19 July 2023). Results: The data were collected between November 2023 and April 2024 and showed 100% agreement and a Content Validity Index (CVI) of 1 for all items among experts. The pre-test, collected in May 2024, with 39 nursing students showed 90% agreement and minimal response variability among the items. Conclusions: The study successfully adapted the EPICC Spiritual Care Education Standard to European Portuguese, highlighting the need for ongoing investment in spiritual care education in nursing curricula. Implications: This study highlights the importance of students' spiritual care competencies in nursing education and practice, emphasising their integration into curricula and the ongoing relevance of healthcare policy in supporting this dimension of holistic care. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143842 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143630 Title: How ready are we to use artificial intelligence in our fight against antimicrobial resistance? An ESGAID and EAAS perspective Authors: Giacobbe, Daniele Roberto; Ahmad, Rafi; Akilli, Fatih Mehmet; Ascandari, Abdulaziz; Eyre, David W.; Gallardo-Pizarro, Antonio; Garcia-Vidal, Carolina; Lopes, Bruno Silvester; Lyutsova, Ekaterina; Rakhimov, Ruslan; Rizzo, Alberto; Rohde, Holger; Sadeghi, Zahra; Schweitzer, Valentijn; Tartari Bonnici, Ermira; Torres-Sangiao, Eva; Guerrero-López, Alejandro Abstract: Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains one of the greatest threats to global health, requiring innovative approaches to antibiotic discovery, surveillance, diagnosis, and prescribing. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has increasingly been applied across these domains, with the dual aim of accelerating research and strengthening antimicrobial stewardship. Areas covered: This perspective summarizes current advances and challenges in applying AI for tackling AMR. We examine the role of AI in antibiotic discovery, laboratory surveillance, diagnosis of resistant infections, and clinical decision support systems. Finally, we address the ethical and regulatory landscape, data transparency, and liability concerns. Expert opinion: AI offers unprecedented opportunities across the continuum of our efforts to counteract AMR, yet its adoption faces substantial hurdles. Some central challenges include the balance between model accuracy and explainability, the lack of widespread digital access, quality and transparency of training datasets, and usability for clinicians. Progress will depend on multidisciplinary collaboration, robust regulatory oversight, and the development of training programs equipping future healthcare professionals with AI-aware reasoning skills. Ultimately, AI should not replace but rather augment human reasoning in the fight against AMR, aligning innovation with ethical principles to ensure safer, more equitable AI-enhanced antibiotic prescribing and antimicrobial stewardship. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143630 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143627 Title: Trends in spirituality and spiritual care in nursing — A discursive paper Authors: Timmins, Fiona; Attard, Josephine; Dobrowolska, Beata; Connolly, Michael; Caldeira, Sílvia; Parissopoulos, Stelios; De Luca, Enrico; Whelan, Jacqueline Abstract: Aim - This paper outlines key developments, innovations, and milestones in the field of spirituality and spiritual care in nursing. Design A discursive paper. Results - Nursing scholars have significantly influenced the profession and contributed to the development of nursing knowledge, particularly in the field of spirituality and spiritual care. Key research has focused on nurses' perceptions and attitudes toward spirituality, clarifying foundational spiritual concepts, and establishing a framework of core spiritual care competencies for the profession. Conclusion - Despite these advancements, significant gaps remain in nurses' knowledge, understanding, and experience in providing spiritual care. The development of agreed-upon spiritual care competencies at the European level offers important guidance for the profession, and educational initiatives are underway to support their integration. However, the field remains in an early stage of development, and further research is needed to embed spiritual care competencies into national and international nursing policy and practice. Moreover, continued research is also essential to inform and evaluate current educational programmes and nursing interventions, and to support the translation of evidence-based knowledge into effective spiritual care delivery. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care Spiritual support is proven to be an important consideration for many patients and families globally. Imbedding spiritual care education into both undergraduate and postgraduate nursing curricula is essential to prepare nurses to address the spiritual needs of patients in healthcare settings. Structured curricula that provide clear instructions on how to recognise, assess, and respond to spiritual concerns in clinical practice can enhance nurses' competence and confidence. Embedding spiritual care into education and training helps normalise spiritual care as a component of holistic nursing, supporting its inclusion in everyday care rather than treating it as an optional or marginal practice. Such educational integration has the potential to improve the consistency and quality of spiritual care across healthcare settings. Impact - Internationally there are evident gaps in the consistent provision of spiritual care to patients and their families. These are being addressed through conceptual clarity, the agreed-upon competencies, and enhanced educational initiatives. It is essential to continue to increase awareness among the nursing profession on the necessity of addressing spiritual care needs, within the context of cultural perspectives to ensure that value is placed on the significance of these issues on a global scale. Patient or Public Contribution - There was no patient or publication contribution in this specific commentary. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143627 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z