L'assistenza spirituale nelle cure palliative : quali strumenti e competenze per soddisfare i bisogni spirituali?

Extensive literature demonstrates that providing spiritual assistance in the context of palliative care is associated with several benefits, such as the reduction of anxiety, the improvement of the quality of life, the increase in coping skills and, more generally, the growth of general well-being. Despite the recognition of these benefits, healthcare professionals complain of difficul-ties in providing spiritual care. This contribution examines two of the main obstacles to the provision of spiritual care: on the one hand, the difficulties in identifying and applying valid tools from a methodological perspective; on the other, the development of adequate skills in the field of health professionals training. In conclusion, some recommendations are provided to overcome these obstacles. [Publisher's text].