Chaplain staffing and scope of service: benchmarking spiritual care departments

Abstract

The functions of hospital chaplains and the corresponding staffing of spiritual care departments remain persistent and parallel questions within the profession. No consensus exists on services provided by spiritual care departments nor the staffing patterns to meet those expectations. This study describes the key activities and staffing at the 20 U.S. News and World Report Best Hospitals 2020–2021 as well as the connections between services, staffing, and select hospital characteristics such as average daily census. Information about each hospital’s chaplaincy department was gathered via a Zoom/telephone assisted survey with its spiritual care manager. Findings reveal that while spiritual care departments are structurally integrated into their organizations and chaplains respond consistently to requests for care, involvement in established organizational protocols varies. Study findings support the notion that staffing levels are a function of chaplain integration into an organization and the activities organizations expect chaplains to fulfill.

Keywords:

• Benchmarking
• chaplain staffing
• hospital chaplains
• scope of service
• spiritual care

Disclosure statement

Researchers in this study declare no financial or other conflict of interest. Note: Kelsey White is an associate editor of the JHCC.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported, in part, by Transforming Chaplaincy at Rush University and the Commonwealth Institute of Kentucky (CIK) in the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of CIK or the University.