V1 · Struggling with meaning, faith, or purpose
Actual Spiritual and values
Definition
The person questions meaning, belief, or purpose during illness or loss.- Serious illness
- loss
- suffering
- doubts about faith
- Asks why me
- feels empty
- loss of faith
- anger at God
📋 Scenario
After a cancer diagnosis, a woman questions her faith.
Subjective (S): "Why is God doing this to me?"
Objective (O): Cancer diagnosis; tearful; stopped prayers; withdrawn.
Assessment tools for this scenario: CP-SPIRIT Spiritual & Values Check
Validated scales to consider: FICA spiritual screen
**CarePath diagnosis:** Struggling with meaning, faith, or purpose related to serious illness, as evidenced by asks why me and feels empty.
**Interventions and rationale**
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Listen without judging. | Listening without judging lets the patient voice doubts and anger safely, and being heard is itself comforting when a person is questioning faith and purpose. |
| Offer presence. | Simply being present tells the patient she is not alone in her suffering, which matters most when there are no easy answers to why-me questions. |
| Offer a chaplain. | A chaplain is trained in spiritual care and can explore faith questions in depth, which is beyond what the nurse can offer alone. |
| Support rituals. | Familiar rituals such as prayer, readings or symbols can bring comfort and a sense of continuity, so supporting them helps the patient reconnect with sources of strength. |
| Allow expression. | Letting her cry, question or be angry prevents bottled-up distress and shows that her feelings are acceptable, which is a first step toward finding meaning. |
**Expected outcomes**
- Expresses feelings.
- Finds one source of meaning or comfort within days.
- Accepts chaplain support.
**Linking the data to the diagnosis**
After a cancer diagnosis, the woman asks, "Why is God doing this to me?" She is tearful, has stopped her prayers and is withdrawn, and she feels empty. These data fit struggling with meaning, faith, or purpose because the distress is about belief and purpose rather than only sadness or fear of the illness. Her questioning is already present, so this is an actual problem, not a risk. The plan aims for her to express her feelings, find at least one source of meaning or comfort within days and accept chaplain support, through nonjudging listening and respect for her beliefs.
CarePath diagnosis
Struggling with meaning, faith, or purpose related to serious illness, as evidenced by asks why me and feels empty.
Interventions and rationale
Listed in priority order.
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| 1. Listen without judging. | Listening without judging lets the patient voice doubts and anger safely, and being heard is itself comforting when a person is questioning faith and purpose. |
| 2. Offer presence. | Simply being present tells the patient she is not alone in her suffering, which matters most when there are no easy answers to why-me questions. |
| 3. Offer a chaplain. | A chaplain is trained in spiritual care and can explore faith questions in depth, which is beyond what the nurse can offer alone. |
| 4. Support rituals. | Familiar rituals such as prayer, readings or symbols can bring comfort and a sense of continuity, so supporting them helps the patient reconnect with sources of strength. |
| 5. Allow expression. | Letting her cry, question or be angry prevents bottled-up distress and shows that her feelings are acceptable, which is a first step toward finding meaning. |
Expected outcomes
- Expresses feelings.
- Finds one source of meaning or comfort within days.
- Accepts chaplain support.
Linking the data to the diagnosis
After a cancer diagnosis, the woman asks, "Why is God doing this to me?" She is tearful, has stopped her prayers and is withdrawn, and she feels empty. These data fit struggling with meaning, faith, or purpose because the distress is about belief and purpose rather than only sadness or fear of the illness. Her questioning is already present, so this is an actual problem, not a risk. The plan aims for her to express her feelings, find at least one source of meaning or comfort within days and accept chaplain support, through nonjudging listening and respect for her beliefs.