Essential spiritual care competencies in healthcare

Abstract

Spirituality is a key dimension of holistic healthcare, addressing individuals' existential, emotional, and psychological needs. Despite growing recognition of its relevance to well-being and recovery, spiritual care remains inconsistently implemented due to a lack of training, conceptual clarity, and confidence among healthcare professionals. The aim of this paper is to explore the contemporary significance of spiritual care, the development of professional competencies, and the role of the Enhancing Nurses' and Midwives' Competence in Providing Spiritual Care through Innovative Education and Compassionate Care (EPICC) framework in standardising spiritual care education in Europe. Emphasis is placed on the integration of core spiritual care competencies, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal Spirituality, Assessment and Planning, Intervention and Evaluation of spiritual care, to promote compassionate, culturally sensitive, and ethically grounded practice.

The paper begins by tracing the historical evolution of spirituality in healthcare and clarifying definitions and distinctions between religious belief and spiritual practice. It then examines efforts to reframe spirituality in healthcare and describes the changing landscape of spiritual care in contemporary practice. Subsequent sections focus on educational innovation through the EPICC project, presenting the EPICC core competency framework and exploring its impact on reframing professional identity and disrupting the secular-clinical divide. The discussion also addresses how spiritual care can advance equity through cultural responsiveness and support moral resilience and vocational integrity among professionals. Finally, the paper considers strategies for curricular innovation and transnational standardisation, reflects on the transformative legacy of EPICC, and concludes with recommendations for embedding spiritual care competencies across healthcare education and practice.