2023 Articles

The Effects of Contextual Factors on Hospital Chaplains: A Qualitative Study

Klitzman, Robert; Di Sapia Natarelli, Gabrielle; Sinnappan, Stephanie; Garbuzova, Elizaveta; Al-Hashimi, Jay

Critical questions arise about how contextual factors affect hospital chaplains. We interviewed 23 chaplains in-depth. Hospitals’ religious or other institutional affiliation, geography, and leadership can influence chaplains both explicitly/directly and implicitly/indirectly—for example, in types/amounts of support chaplains receive, scope of chaplains’ roles/activities, amounts/types of chaplains’ interactions, chaplains’ views of their roles and freedom to innovate, and patients’, families’ and other providers’ perceptions/expectations regarding spiritual care. These data have critical implications for research, practice, and education.