Responding to the “unknown assailant”: A qualitative exploration with Australian health and aged care chaplains on the impact of COVID-19

Abstract

The global coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has brought about physical, psychological and spiritual challenges within health and aged care services across Australia. The aim of this study was to consider the impact of COVID-19 from the perspective of Australian chaplains. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 chaplains. A grounded theory analysis identified three overarching themes: (1) a changing healthcare environment; (2) the impact of the virus; and (3) chaplains responding to the crisis. Increased healthcare restrictions in response to COVID-19 raised levels of fear and anxiety among patients, residents, family members and staff, and generated feelings of isolation and disconnection. Chaplains responded by providing a calm presence, being available, holding out hope, introducing creative ways to provide spiritual care and seeking spiritual nourishment themselves. The value of chaplaincy in health and aged care services is discussed in light of these findings.

“We are also here”—Spiritual Care Practitioners’ Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study from Poland

“…Also, Busfield ( 2020 ) described how difficult and challenging it was for chaplains to maintain a calm presence during the first weeks of COVID-19. By contrast, Jones et al ( 2020 ) showed that while chaplains played an important role for hospital patients, their families and healthcare staff, they also need to sustain their spiritual well-being.…”

“…This is important because although the COVID-19 pandemic has brought spiritual care to the forefront of healthcare and there is growing evidence for the positive role of SCP in the healthcare system during the current healthcare crisis (Busfield, 2020 ; Cadell et al, 2021 ; Drummond & Carey, 2020 ; Dutra & Rocha, 2021 ; Ferrell et al, 2020 ; Harrison & Scarle, 2020 ; Jones et al, 2020 ; Koenig, 2020 ; Murphy, 2020 ; Papadopoulos et al, 2021 ; Peacock, 2020 ; Sarmiento, 2020 ; Swift, 2020 ; Weinberger-Litman et al, 2020 ; Wierstra et al, 2020 ), little is known about the impact of COVID-19 on spiritual care in Poland.…”

Chaplain Leadership During COVID-19: An International Expert Panel

“…Additionally, on average, participating chaplains felt their role was neither clear nor unclear to them during the pandemic. Qualitative findings reflected diverging themes in chaplains' experiences such as being seen as unimportant, optional, and being professionally isolated, compared to those who were viewed as essential, well-integrated, and valued in their healthcare institutions' COVID-19 response (Desjardins et al, 2021;Jones et al, 2020;Tan et al, 2021). However, further attention is needed to unpack the complex and interconnected factors that may have underlain and precipitated the state of chaplaincy during COVID-19, such as the roles of hospital administration, chaplain leaders, chaplain practitioners, interprofessional teams, and the larger healthcare delivery systems.…”

Supporting Spirits in Changing Circumstances: Pandemic Lessons for Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes

“…A study with chaplains during the first wave of the pandemic in the UK led to a discussion of the importance of pastoral presence for those who are suffering (Swift 2020). Additionally, while noting that the impact of the pandemic in their area was relatively less than in other regions of the world, a few Australian studies have looked at chaplains' experience in aged care during the pandemic, describing adaptations and identifying future issues related to spiritual care (Drummond and Carey 2020;Jones et al 2020;Tan et al 2021). Two international surveys have reached chaplains around the world (some of whom work in aged care) to learn about changes in aspects of spiritual care during the pandemic (Snowden 2021;Vandenhoeck et al 2021).…”