Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy最新文献

Religious and spiritual care has been overlooked by studies evaluating its impact on caregivers of patients admitted to pediatric hospitals. This scoping review examines the literature on the impact of spiritual and religious care on parents or guardians of children admitted to high acuity pediatric hospital units. Utilizing Arksey & O'Malley's framework for conducting scoping reviews, we included studies from within the last ten years written in English or Spanish in pediatric populations that reported role, effects, or impact of religious and spiritual care. Results reveal themes of positive impact of spiritual or religious care on several components of parents/caregivers' in the areas of emotional coping, grief and bereavement, positive parental perception of the impact of chaplains in high acuity settings, and outside spiritual/religious guidance and support during the medical decision-making process. More studies are needed to address the paucity of data on this topic with caregivers of pediatric patients.

Spirituality is widely recognized as a source of resilience and a critical component in addiction recovery. However, its integration into clinical practice often lacks clarity, limiting its effectiveness for healthcare practitioners. This study explores the practical relevance of the Operational Model of Spirituality developed by Canda and colleagues, applying it to foundational texts from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Using qualitative content analysis, we examined how the model's five spiritual drives-meaning of self, meaning of the world, belonging with self, belonging with the world, and profound experience-are reflected in the AA recovery narrative. Our findings highlight distinct subthemes that reflect a movement in the recovery narrative from expressions of maladaptive coping, such as avoidance and denial, to representations of more adaptive orientations, including acceptance and present-focused living. These themes underscore the importance of authenticity, connection, wholeness, and consistent spiritual experiences in fostering recovery. We conclude that this operational framework offers chaplains a structured, evidence-informed approach to spiritual care that can enhance support for individuals navigating addiction recovery.

Healthcare chaplains recognize the importance of informed referrals for spiritual care; they are essential for spiritual care in outpatient settings. Research about the prevalence and harmful effects of religious/spiritual distress underscores the importance of effective methods for identifying patients who would benefit from spiritual care. Spiritual screening is a valuable way to help healthcare colleagues identify patients who would benefit from further assessment and spiritual care. To help spiritual care programs implement spiritual screening, in this article chaplains from six organizations with successful spiritual screening describe the development and implementation of their programs. The settings for these screening programs include hospital inpatients, oncology outpatient centers, palliative care, and population health. The descriptions include the screening questions used, how they are administered, and what it took to get them implemented. Common and unique features of these six approaches to spiritual screening are discussed along with areas for future research.

Spirituality in addiction treatment is important to holistic care, yet many chaplains in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) frequently encounter these issues without sufficient training. This study assessed current practices and training needs among VA chaplains. Among 151 respondents, many provided addiction care weekly yet endorsed varying levels of comfort and perceived capability. Frequently used interventions included foundational chaplaincy skills (e.g., active listening, grief counseling) alongside occasional change-oriented approaches (e.g., 12-step care, Motivational Interviewing [MI]), and referrals to mental health services. Respondents expressed a desire for training in evidence-based modalities (e.g., MI, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy [ACT], the 12-step model), reporting these would increase comfort and capability. Post-hoc analyses suggested experience with these approaches and ability to refer were related to greater comfort and capability. The study underscores the need for targeted training initiatives and research to optimize the role of VA chaplains in holistic addiction care.

This study investigated the educational experiences of early-career healthcare chaplains (ECHCs) to identify their perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of their academic and clinical training. We conducted an online survey with fixed-choice and open-text questions, gathering data from 288 ECHCs. Their responses revealed substantial gaps between traditional academic programs, such as the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree, and the competencies needed for effective healthcare chaplaincy, with only 40% of respondents feeling adequately prepared. Although Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) was recognized for fostering practical skills and self-awareness, areas for improvement were noted by 15%-50%. The study highlights the need for integrated curricula that combine academic knowledge with clinical practice, ensuring chaplains are equipped with the competencies needed to meet the demands of modern healthcare. The research suggests that chaplaincy education should be redesigned to better align with the evolving professional landscape of healthcare chaplaincy.

Recognition is mounting that improvement is needed in measurement and reporting of sex and gender in research. These variables have been historically treated as binary, and although separate constructs, are often conflated in how they are measured and reported in studies collecting survey-based data. This review maps how sex and gender were measured and reported in quantitative studies published in three chaplaincy journals from 2020-2023. While the majority (71.7%) still report S/G using binary categories, more inclusive survey response options increased over time. Which construct is being measured and how are rarely specified, and S/G terms are used interchangeably or inaccurately, often by categorizing gender with sex terms male and female. These practices are common in studies published across medical and social fields. Shortcomings of current methodological guidance and recommendations for improvement are discussed.

Healthcare chaplaincy education in the United States lacks standardized curriculum guidelines, resulting in inconsistent training and preparation for clinical practice. This modified e-Delphi sought consensus on curriculum standards to address this gap. Nineteen experts-including chaplains, clinical pastoral educators, theological faculty, and thought leaders-participated in a three-round process evaluating eight proposed domains covering academic and clinical competencies. Participants rated 78 knowledge and skill competencies and provided qualitative feedback. The panel achieved over 75% agreement on all domains and competencies, with more than half (58%) reaching at least 90% agreement. This study's standards bridge longstanding divides in healthcare chaplaincy education, offering a cohesive framework to strengthen current programs and design new ones aligned with healthcare's specific needs. These curriculum standards present a roadmap for transforming chaplaincy education, ensuring that future chaplains are equipped to meet the spiritual needs of patients, their loved ones, and staff in increasingly complex healthcare environments.n.

Religious and spiritual needs are important for seriously ill patients. Conflicting evidence for who provides this care and how it fits into the biomedical context remains. Quantitative analysis of the National Study of Religious Leaders (NSRL) survey data (N = 1600) resulted in three statistically significant logistic regression models. Conflicts with scientific beliefs, openness to changing beliefs based on scientific findings, and race/ethnicity were associated with religious leaders' recommendations related to stopping curative treatment. Multiple factors such as belief in miraculous healing, the prosperity gospel, and openness to changing beliefs based on scientific findings, were associated with hoping for a miracle. How often a clergy visited a terminally ill person in the last 12 months, and their educational attainment were associated with discussing palliative care. Results highlight the opportunity for additional care coordination and education among religious clergy, professional chaplains and clinical providers in EOL contexts.

Workforce forecasting models are important tools for researchers and administrators to identify potential workforce fluctuations and patterns. The present study explored the trends in chaplain employment with a retrospective analysis of existing data in one southeastern hospital system. We examined hiring, attrition, and net workforce growth as comparisons, or rates, of clinical chaplains in the organization. The observed health system saw considerable growth during the study period, acquiring 17 hospitals (2013-2024) and hiring an average of 11 clinical chaplains annually. Of the 129 hires during the study period, 82 clinical chaplains were retained, representing a cumulative group attrition of 36.4%. ARIMA projections estimate modest linear declines in hiring and net workforce growth, accompanied by a slight increase in attrition from 2025 to 2029. Overall, these findings demonstrate the feasibility of this analytic approach to inform staffing strategies and service delivery models for chaplaincy and spiritual care.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted healthcare leadership, but much of the academic focus on leadership research has been on public health professionals and policymakers. Less attention has been given to the leadership roles of interfaith hospital chaplains. This study explores how interfaith hospital chaplains enacted leadership throughout the pandemic, focusing on their personal experiences, practices, and challenges. Utilizing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study involved in-depth interviews with ten interfaith chaplains from U.S. hospitals, all with at least six months of service during the pandemic. Chaplains demonstrated leadership through relationality, crisis management, and emotional support for patients, staff, and families. Their leadership was often under-recognized yet critical in navigating both the personal and collective trauma induced by the pandemic. The study underscores the evolving role of chaplains as essential healthcare leaders and highlights implications for future research and practice in interfaith chaplaincy leadership.