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Spirituality encompasses several concepts ranging from simple pleasures to the more fundamental questions regarding the meaning of life, and death. In order to evaluate spiritual needs, we conducted an open survey in a specialized palliative care unit in a secular and religiously neutral canton. With the agreement of the Swiss ethical committee for research on human beings and that of FACIT, we used a French version of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Scale-Spirituality. It comprises 40 questions divided into 5 categories: physical well-being; family and social; emotional; functional and spiritual. These were quantified over a period of seven days for a maximum total of 156 points. 14 patients participated with scores varying between 62 and 120 points. However, completion of the questionnaire turned out to be problematic; most of the patients being unable to read the questions themselves because of their state of health. They had difficulty in gauging their needs; some with no goals left in life seemed calmer than others with very precise objectives. Sharing their experience of life was more important to them than measuring their needs, as was explaining their serenity or fear regarding death. Despite the obvious presence of spiritual suffering in all patients, it appeared difficult to measure this in the context of our hospital culture. Breaking it down may be equivalent to enclosing the spirit when, in fact, the aim is to acknowledge its freedom. Consequently, in addition to the SP questionnaire, it would be worth developing other tools better suited to the patients’ expectations and professional reality.