Palliative Nursing and Sacred Medicine: A Holistic Stance on Entheogens, Healing, and Spiritual Care.
William E Rosa, Stephanie Hope, Marianne Matzo
Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' Association March 1, 2019 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1177/0898010118770302 via PubMed
Summary
Entheogens, substances that induce sacred experiences, may enhance spiritual and holistic care for patients with advanced serious illness. Clinical trials suggest these substances can help patients find meaning and purpose, reduce fear, and increase joy and acceptance. Despite promising findings in other fields like psychology and medicine, nursing literature has not sufficiently addressed the integration of entheogens into patient care. This article aims to foster dialogue on this important topic.
Study at a glance
| Design | case study |
|---|---|
| Population | patients experiencing advanced serious illness |
| Key finding | Entheogens may promote presence, introspection, decreased fear, and increased joy and acceptance in patients confronting advanced serious illness. |
Abstract
The fields of palliative and holistic nursing both maintain a commitment to the care of the whole person, including a focus on spiritual care. Advanced serious illness may pose a plethora of challenges to patients seeking to create meaning and purpose in their lives. The purpose of this article is to introduce scholarly dialogue on the integration of entheogens, medicines that engender an experience of the sacred, into the spiritual and holistic care of patients experiencing advanced serious illness. A brief history of the global use of entheogens as well as a case study are provided. Clinical trials show impressive preliminary findings regarding the healing potential of these medicinal agents. While other professions, such as psychology, pharmacy, and medicine, are disseminating data related to patient outcomes secondary to entheogen administration, the nursing literature has not been involved in raising awareness of such advancements. Research is illustrating their effectiveness in achieving integrative experiences for patients confronting advanced serious illness and their ability to promote presence, introspection, decreased fear, and increased joy and acceptance. Evidence-based knowledge surrounding this potentially sensitive topic is necessary to invite understanding, promote scientific knowledge development, and create healing environments for patients, nurses, and researchers alike.