What Chaplains Wish Nurses Knew: Findings from an Online Survey

Abstract

This report presents qualitative data from a larger study that sought to examine chaplain perspectives on collaboration and nurse-provided spiritual care. This cross-sectional, descriptive study used online survey methods to distribute an investigator-designed questionnaire to a convenience sample of members of the Association of Professional Chaplains (N = 298). Findings were generated by written responses to 3 open questions that were thematically analyzed, as well as 1 quantitative item. Over half of these chaplains reported they did experience nurse "gatekeeping"at least occasionally. Themes from qualitative data revealed chaplains perceive nurses: lack understanding about the role and abilities of chaplains, sometimes overstep their role or impede the work of chaplains, and allow personal "baggage"to influence their collaboration with chaplains. Likewise, however, respondents respected nurses and were eager to collaborate. Naming these challenges to nurse-chaplain collaboration allows nurses and chaplains to begin to address them.