Spiritual Assessment in Healthcare: A Resource Guide

Linda Ross is a Professor of Nursing (specialising in spirituality) at the University of South Wales. Her PhD in 1992 was the first in Europe to explore nurses’ perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care which she published as a book in 1997. She has published extensively about spirituality, contributing to numerous texts such as the ‘Oxford Textbook of Spirituality in Healthcare’ (2012) and co-editing ‘Spiritual Assessment in Healthcare Practice’ (2010). She contributed to the Royal College of Nursing’s ‘Spirituality in Nursing Care’ educational resources, and to the spiritual care guidance which accompanies the Welsh Government’s Health and Care Standards (2015). She is a Director, Trustee, Founding member and Membership Secretary for the International Network for the Study of Spirituality (formerly BASS), an Executive Editor for the Society’s affiliated ‘Journal for the Study of Spirituality’ and editor for ‘Health & Social Care Chaplaincy’. She co-led (with 5 other partners) anErasmus funded 3 year project to establish best practice in spiritual care nurse education across Europe (EPICC Project). She chairs the emerging EPICC Network and the All Wales Spirituality, Health & Wellbeing Group (SHaW) which advises Welsh Government on spiritual, faith, beliefs and pastoral matters in relation to health services across Wales. Her other roles include Lay Executive Board Member of the UK Board of Health & Social Care Chaplaincy and Board Member of the Spirituality and Health Research Center, Azusa Pacific University California. Wilfred McSherry is a Professor in Nursing working in a joint appointment between Department of Nursing, School of Health and Social Care, Staffordshire University and the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust United Kingdom and part-time Professor at VID University College, Bergen, Norway.  Wilf has had a career in nursing working as a Registered Nurse primarily within AcuteHospital Care with a focus upon care of the older person and end of life care. His interest in the spiritual dimension developed alongside a realisation that this aspect of care was neglected and forgotten by some healthcare professionals. He has published extensively in this field with several books and many articles addressing different aspects of the spiritual dimension. In 2010 Wilf led on a piece of work for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) exploring members perceptions of spirituality.  Wilf is a founding and executive member of the International Network for the Study of Spirituality (Formerly British Association for The Study of Spirituality) and a Principal Fellow of The Higher Education Academy. In 2012 he was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing for his unique contribution to nursing in the areas of spirituality and dignity. Wilf co-led  a European project titled Enhancing Nurses Competence in Providing Spiritual Care through Innovation Education and Compassionate Care (EPICC).