Considering the ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity in the U.S., we aim to explore the experiences of healthcare chaplains as they provide culturally sensitive care to diverse patients and their families.

This is a qualitative study. Individual interviews were conducted with 14 healthcare chaplains recruited from 3 U.S. chaplaincy organizations.

Thematic analysis with constant comparison yielded 6 themes in the chaplains’ experiences: (1) the diverse roles of chaplains; (2) their high levels of comfort in working with diverse populations, attributed to cultural sensitivity and humility training; (3) cues for trust-building; (4) common topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion discussed; (5) gaps in chaplaincy training; and (6) the importance of collaboration and negotiation with healthcare professionals to accommodate cultural needs.

This research highlights the valuable role of chaplains in providing culturally sensitive care and suggests areas for improving chaplaincy training and education to better serve diverse patient populations.

Chaplains provide spiritual care in a variety of settings and are an important part of palliative and supportive care teams. This study aims to describe chaplain interactions from the perspective of the recipients of care.

The study draws on data from a nationally representative survey conducted by the Gallup Organization in March 2022.

Two main groups of recipients were identified: primary recipients and visitors/caregivers. Current typologies of chaplain activities focus on primary recipients of care, but a similar proportion of chaplain interactions takes place with visitors/caregivers. Bivariate analysis was used to compare the experiences of the chaplains’ primary recipients of care to other recipients of care and the experiences of visitors/caregivers to other recipients of care. Primary recipients of care were significantly more likely to have religious interactions with the chaplain and to experience the interactions as valuable and helpful.

This study is the first to show the groups of people – primary recipients and visitors/caregivers – who receive care from chaplains. It demonstrates how care recipients experience care differently from chaplains based on their position, which has important implications for spiritual care practice.

Advance care planning (ACP) conversations require the consideration of deeply held personal values and beliefs and the discussion of uncertainty, fears, and hopes related to current and future personal healthcare. However, empirical data are limited on how such spiritual concerns and needs are supported during ACP. This study explored board-certified healthcare chaplains’ perspectives of patients’ spiritual needs and support in ACP conversations.

An online survey of 563 board-certified chaplains was conducted from March to July 2020. The survey included 3 open-ended questions about patients’ hopes and fears and about how the chaplains addressed them during ACP conversations. Written qualitative responses provided by 244 of the chaplains were examined with content analysis.

The majority of the 244 chaplains were White (83.6%), female (59%), Protestant (63.1%), and designated to one or more special care units (89.8%). Major themes on patients’ hopes and fears expressed during ACP were (1) spiritual, religious, and existential questions; (2) suffering, peace, and comfort; (3) focus on the present; (4) hopes and fears for family; and (5) doubt and distrust. Major themes on how chaplains addressed them were (1) active listening to explore and normalize fears, worries, and doubts; (2) conversations to integrate faith, values, and preferences into ACP; and (3) education, empowerment, and advocacy.

ACP conversations require deep listening and engagement to address patients’ spiritual needs and concerns – an essential dimension of engaging in whole-person care – and should be delivered with an interdisciplinary approach to fulfill the intended purpose of ACP.

The prevalence of burnout and distress among palliative care professionals has received much attention since research suggests it negatively impacts the quality of care. Although limited, research suggests low levels of burnout or distress among healthcare chaplains; however, there has been no research among chaplains working in specific clinical contexts, including palliative care.

This study explored the distress, self-care, and debriefing practices of chaplains working in palliative care.

Exploratory, cross-sectional survey of professional chaplains. Electronic surveys were sent to members of four professional chaplaincy organizations between February and April 2015. Primary measures of interest included Professional Distress, Distress from Theodicy, Informal Self-care, Formal Self-care, and debriefing practices.

More than 60% of chaplains working in palliative care reported feeling worn out in the past 3 months because of their work as a helper; at least 33% practice Informal Self-care weekly. Bivariate analysis suggested significant associations between Informal Self-care and both Professional Distress and Distress from Theodicy. Multivariate analysis also identified that distress decreased as Informal and Formal Self-care increased.

Chaplains working in palliative care appear moderately distressed, possibly more so than chaplains working in other clinical areas. These chaplains also use debriefing, with non-chaplain palliative colleagues, to process clinical experiences. Further research is needed about the role of religious or spiritual beliefs and practices in protecting against stress associated with care for people at the end of life.

Members of faith-based organizations (FBOs) are in a unique position to provide support and services to their local communities during disasters. Because of their close community ties and well-established trust, they can play an especially critical role in helping communities heal in the aftermath of a mass-fatality incident (MFI). Faith-based organizations are considered an important disaster resource and partner under the National Response Plan (NRP) and National Response Framework; however, their level of preparedness and response capabilities with respect to MFIs has never been evaluated. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to develop appropriate measures of preparedness for this sector; (2) to assess MFI preparedness among United States FBOs; and (3) to identify key factors associated with MFI preparedness.

New metrics for MFI preparedness, comprised of three domains (organizational capabilities, operational capabilities, and resource sharing partnerships), were developed and tested in a national convenience sample of FBO members.

Data were collected using an online anonymous survey that was distributed through two major, national faith-based associations and social media during a 6-week period in 2014. Descriptive, bivariate, and correlational analyses were conducted.

One hundred twenty-four respondents completed the online survey. More than one-half of the FBOs had responded to MFIs in the previous five years. Only 20% of respondents thought that roughly three-quarters of FBO clergy would be able to respond to MFIs, with or without hazardous contamination. A higher proportion (45%) thought that most FBO clergy would be willing to respond, but only 37% thought they would be willing if hazardous contamination was involved. Almost all respondents reported that their FBO was capable of providing emotional care and grief counseling in response to MFIs. Resource sharing partnerships were typically in place with other voluntary organizations (73%) and less likely with local death care sector organizations (27%) or Departments of Health (DOHs; 32%).

The study suggests improvements are needed in terms of staff training in general, and specifically, drills with planning partners are needed. Greater cooperation and inclusion of FBOs in national planning and training will likely benefit overall MFI preparedness in the US.

ZhiQ, MerrillJA, GershonRR. Mass-Fatality Incident Preparedness Among Faith-Based Organizations. Prehosp Disaster Med.2017;32(6):596–603.