Niels den Toom, Marjo van Zundert, Anja Visser, Annelieke Damen, Sujin Rosie, Carmen Schuhmann, Hanneke Muthert, Gaby Jacobs, Erik Olsman, Jacques Körver, Martin Walton
{"title":"Pathways to inner peace: A meta-analysis of case studies on methods in chaplaincy.","authors":"Niels den Toom, Marjo van Zundert, Anja Visser, Annelieke Damen, Sujin Rosie, Carmen Schuhmann, Hanneke Muthert, Gaby Jacobs, Erik Olsman, Jacques Körver, Martin Walton","doi":"10.1080/08854726.2026.2633974","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08854726.2026.2633974","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study explores the extent to which chaplains employ structured methods in their practice in view of home-based chaplaincy in the Netherlands by conducting a secondary analysis of 40 case studies from the Dutch Case Studies Project (2016-21). Findings indicate that chaplains employ a broad range of interventions, among which two structured methods were identified: The Diamond Model and mindfulness. Both methods support clients in coping with vulnerability and making life decisions using different theoretical and spiritual approaches. It was found that both methods were applied flexibly, reflecting a balance between professional discretion and methodological integrity. Overall, the findings suggest that chaplains aim to integrate interventions, maintaining a balance between structured methods and relational presence, ultimately striving to foster inner peace through varied theoretical and spiritual approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":45330,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy","volume":" ","pages":"203-215"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147356982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rachel Moses, Will Dickerson-Lemieux, Annette Callis, Jeffrey Coto
{"title":"Tea for the soul: a chaplain-led intervention impacting meaning & joy in healthcare workers.","authors":"Rachel Moses, Will Dickerson-Lemieux, Annette Callis, Jeffrey Coto","doi":"10.1080/08854726.2026.2633972","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08854726.2026.2633972","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Burnout among healthcare workers has reached unprecedented rates following the COVID pandemic, with few studies looking at measures that might be protective against burnout. Additionally, few studies on how spiritual care interventions impact caregiver wellbeing exist. This study seeks to bridge this gap using a quasi-experimental model to evaluate the effectiveness of Tea for the Soul (TFS), a chaplain-led intervention, on caregivers' experiences of meaning and joy in their work. TFS is an intervention designed to care for healthcare providers (HCP) in their workspace. This study found statistically significant improvement in five meaning measures within the Meaning and Joy in Work (MJW) instrument: (a) <i>My daily work is important</i>, (b) <i>Positive happenings at work give me heightened energy</i>, (c) <i>The work I do serves a greater purpose</i>, (d) <i>My daily work goals are meaningful to me</i>, and (e) <i>My work contributes meaning to my life</i>. Higher chaplain referrals were noted throughout the intervention, indicating increased chaplain utilization by the healthcare team. The results of this study suggest a need to explore chaplain-led interventions, like TFS, and their impact on caregivers' meaning and joy in work as well as to explore interventions that would protect against burnout.</p>","PeriodicalId":45330,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy","volume":" ","pages":"246-255"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147311092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The leadership of interfaith hospital chaplains during the COVID-19 pandemic.","authors":"Zachary C Wooten, Jocelyn Brown","doi":"10.1080/08854726.2025.2565114","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08854726.2025.2565114","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>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.</p>","PeriodicalId":45330,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy","volume":" ","pages":"229-245"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145233745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kelsey B White, Naana Adjei, Laura E McClelland, Wendy Cadge
{"title":"Conceptualizing spiritual care in the U.S. through chaplain activities in research: a scoping review sub-analysis.","authors":"Kelsey B White, Naana Adjei, Laura E McClelland, Wendy Cadge","doi":"10.1080/08854726.2026.2696185","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08854726.2026.2696185","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Healthcare chaplaincy has advanced toward establishing a more universally recognized professional identity. However, the profession lacks a comprehensive definition of what constitutes spiritual care. We conducted a sub-analysis of a larger scoping review of the existing spiritual care literature to further conceptualize spiritual care activities according to published research and from various clinical settings in the United States. This sub-analysis examined 44 articles and identified 388 individual activities which we grouped into 14 spiritual care categories. Most activities focused on patients and/or patients' families. Of the 388 activities, psycho-spiritual activities were the most common (19.6%), followed by spiritual assessment and/or spiritual support activities (16%), spiritual/religious rituals, and services (15.7%), and activities related to staff support and education (11.6%). Findings that a definition of spiritual care, as conceptualized through research articles, establishes interpersonal relationships through which spiritual and religious traditions, practices, beliefs, and values are facilitated to maximize health and wellbeing.</p>","PeriodicalId":45330,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy","volume":" ","pages":"1-30"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148370284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The impact of religious and spiritual care on parents or caregivers in pediatrics: a scoping review.","authors":"Salvador Leavitt-Alcántara, Samantha Summers","doi":"10.1080/08854726.2025.2606030","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08854726.2025.2606030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>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.</p>","PeriodicalId":45330,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy","volume":" ","pages":"216-228"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145901229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Chaplains in transition: a net workforce analysis in a southeastern healthcare organization.","authors":"Martin Shaw, Kelsey B White, Amanda N Stover","doi":"10.1080/08854726.2025.2569269","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08854726.2025.2569269","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>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.</p>","PeriodicalId":45330,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy","volume":" ","pages":"167-181"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145239692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
David W Fleenor, Alexander Tartaglia, Trace Haythorn, Shelly Rambo, George Fitchett
{"title":"An e-Delphi study on integrated curriculum standards for healthcare chaplaincy education.","authors":"David W Fleenor, Alexander Tartaglia, Trace Haythorn, Shelly Rambo, George Fitchett","doi":"10.1080/08854726.2025.2606040","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08854726.2025.2606040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>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.</p>","PeriodicalId":45330,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy","volume":" ","pages":"182-202"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145879178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Michael McCarthy, Ann Hillman, Brooke Dickens, Virginia McCarthy, Naomi Ayele, Emily Anderson
{"title":"What medical students learn from shadowing chaplains.","authors":"Michael McCarthy, Ann Hillman, Brooke Dickens, Virginia McCarthy, Naomi Ayele, Emily Anderson","doi":"10.1080/08854726.2026.2684231","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08854726.2026.2684231","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper presents findings from a study of medical student reflections on a shadowing experience with hospital chaplains aimed to promote students' understanding of the importance of spirituality in patient care and the role of chaplains on a medical care team. Through a deductive content analysis, we identified key themes providing evidence that this shadowing experience increases student knowledge about spirituality, the role of chaplains, and meets the standards set forth in the National Competencies in Spirituality and Health for Medical Education. Exemplary quotes from student reflections demonstrate how they processed their experience. The student reflections consistently identified the value of the chaplain within health care, the importance of spirituality in patient care, and how this shadowing experience shaped their own Professional Identity Formation.</p>","PeriodicalId":45330,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148253614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maartje van Veluw, Erik Olsman, Theo Pleizier, Pieter Barnhoorn, Ton Bersee, Hanneke Muthert
{"title":"Hope in providing spiritual care together: a qualitative study among chronically ill patients, chaplains, general practitioners and nurses.","authors":"Maartje van Veluw, Erik Olsman, Theo Pleizier, Pieter Barnhoorn, Ton Bersee, Hanneke Muthert","doi":"10.1080/08854726.2026.2684232","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08854726.2026.2684232","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Paying attention to hope, including its counterparts, is part of spiritual care. In this study, we explored how general practice professionals and chaplains provide care for chronic patients' hope, despair, and hopelessness together. The research was conducted in a home-based care setting in the Netherlands. Based on thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews (<i>N</i> = 22) with chaplains (<i>n</i> = 8), general practitioners and general practice nurses (<i>n</i> = 8), and patients (<i>n</i> = 6), we found that (1) general practice professionals and chaplains collaborated by referring patients and by consultations, although collaboration was not a common practice; (2) health and relationships are important topics to understand hope in chronically ill patients; and (3) key elements in hope related care were listening, acknowledging and asking open-ended questions. We conclude that GP(N)s and chaplains should be willing to understand what hope means for themselves, for each other and for their chronic patients, aiming to provide spiritual care together.</p>","PeriodicalId":45330,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148212726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Matthew E Modes, Erin K Kross, O Kenrik Duru, Aleksandra Sherman, Sangeeta C Ahluwalia, Anne M Walling, Pamela Lazor, Teryl K Nuckols
{"title":"The Family Perspectives Project: development and preliminary feasibility of a chaplain-delivered emotional support intervention for families of critically ill patients.","authors":"Matthew E Modes, Erin K Kross, O Kenrik Duru, Aleksandra Sherman, Sangeeta C Ahluwalia, Anne M Walling, Pamela Lazor, Teryl K Nuckols","doi":"10.1080/08854726.2026.2684233","DOIUrl":"10.1080/08854726.2026.2684233","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>While guidelines recommend that families of critically ill patients receive emotional support from intensive care unit (ICU) clinicians, few receive it. To address this gap, we designed the Family Perspectives Project, an intervention that utilizes hospital chaplains to enhance the emotional support that ICU teams provide to families. This study's objective was to refine and preliminarily test the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. The work occurred in two steps. First, we conducted qualitative interviews with stakeholders (n = 12) to refine the proposed intervention and design. Second, we conducted a single-arm feasibility study of the refined intervention in one ICU (9 patient-family dyads) and assessed feasibility and acceptability with validated measures on participant surveys. The intervention was delivered with high fidelity. Chaplains provided emotional support to families and created structured reports about family perspectives that clinicians reviewed. Participants found the intervention feasible and acceptable. A larger pilot randomized trial is warranted.</p>","PeriodicalId":45330,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy","volume":" ","pages":"1-22"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13650812/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148212753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}