EXPLORING THE ROLE OF NURSES AS PEACEMAKERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SPIRITUAL CAREGIVING

Peacemaking is a newly recognized concept in the nursing literature and there has not yet been a connection made between peacemaking and spiritual caregiving in the healthcare context. I undertook a qualitative study to address this gap, intending to explore the role of nurses as peacemakers for the purpose of spiritual caregiving. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five nurses and four spiritual health practitioners. Thematic analysis of the transcripts generated three themes: (i) Foundations of Peace: Conceptualizations of Peacemaking; (ii) Values in Action: Peacemaking as Enactments of Values; and (iii) Becoming Peacemakers: Exploring the Role of Nurses as Peacemakers. The findings reveal the connection between nursing practice and peacemaking as expressions of spiritual care. Using a peacemaking lens, nurses can become increasingly confident in their ability to contribute to the complex problems facing society as they actively work towards solutions for peace within themselves and others.