I have just completed the e-learning “Opening the Spiritual Gate”. The four week programme was cleverly structured to include – a) definitions / understanding of spirituality and religion and the resources available; b) communication skills to assess needs; c) issues of reporting, recording and confidentiality; and d) staff support, putting into action / personal development.

A wealth of different educational tools were utilised including demonstrations, video clips, links to websites, books and policies, and group forum which provided a safe, non-judgemental environment to explore the relevant issues and share anecdotal experiences of dealing with difficult conversations/situations.

In short, I found the course to be inspiring, thought-provoking and hugely beneficial to my practice. I would strongly recommend it to all healthcare professionals to facilitate optimum holistic assessment and on-going spiritual care.

Julie Massam
RGN