Chaplains working in a hospice palliative care team recount the spiritual challenges at the end-of-life
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.v9i2.18Keywords:
Chaplaincy, hospice, spiritual care, standards, support, team workingAbstract
As part of an on-going review of service provision for Hospice adult patients, six chaplains were interviewed to elicit their views and experiences of meeting spiritual needs within a multidisciplinary palliative care team. Interviews were taped: transcribed and common themes were identified. The chaplains highlighted many positive aspects of their work, recognising their role as one of service to the patients. They emphasised the importance of teamwork, both within the chaplaincy service and throughout the wider palliative care team. Negative aspects of working in palliative care were also identified, such as compassion fatigue. Chaplains need special coping skills and ongoing support in their work. They must recognise and obtain resources for patients from other world faith communities.
References
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FARVIS RA. (2005) Ethical Considerations in Spiritual Care. International Journal of Palliative Nursing 11: 4: 189.
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MEADOR K G. (2004) Spiritual Care at the End of Life. North Carolina Medical Journal 65: 4: 226 228.
MELLON BF. (2003) Faith to Faith at the Bedside: Theological and Ethical Issues in Ecumenical Clinical Chaplaincy. Christian Bioethics 9:1: 57-67.
MITCHELL D AND SNEDDON M. (1999) Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy: A Research Project, Scottish Journal of Healthcare Chaplaincy, 2: 2:2-6.
MOADEL A, MORGAN C, FATONE A, GRENNAN J, CARTER, J, LARUFFA G, SKUMMY A, AND DUTCHER J. (1999) Seeking meaning and hope: self reported spiritual and existential needs among an ethnically-diverse cancer patient population, Psycho-Oncology 8:5:378-385.
MOORE A AND LEVISON C (2003) Chaplains Perceptions of Supervision, Scottish Journal of Healthcare Chaplaincy, 6:2:16-20.
NICE (2004) Improving Supportive and Palliative Care for Adults with Cancer, Guidance on Cancer Services, Executive Summary, National Institute for Clinical Excellence, London
PAYNE N (2001) Occupational stressors and coping as determinants of burnout in female hospice nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing 22, 396-405.
SCHNEIDER-HARPPRECHT C, (2003) Hospital Chaplaincy Across Denominational, Cultural and Religious Borders: Observations from the German Context, Christian Bioethics, 9: 1: 91-107.
WALTER T. (1999) On Bereavement, The Culture of Grief, Open University Press, Buckingham
WASNER M, LONGAKER C, FEGG M. J. AND BORASIO JD,( 2005) Effects of spiritual care training for palliative care professionals. Palliative Medicine 19: 99-104.
WATSON M AND LUCAS C. (2000) Adult Palliative Care Guidelines, The South West London and the Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire (SWSH) Cancer Networks, 1st Edition
WRIGHT MC. (2001) Chaplaincy in hospice and hospital: findings from a survey in England and Wales, Palliative Medicine 15: 229 -242.
CATERALL RA, COX M, GREER B, SANKEY J. AND GRIFFITHS G. (1998) The assessment and audit of spiritual care. International Journal of Palliative Medicine 4:4:162-168.
CLINICAL STANDARDS BOARD FOR SCOTLAND (2002) Clinical standards for specialist palliative care. Clinical Standards Board for Scotland, Edinburgh.
DENSCOMBE M. (1998) The Good Research Guide for small-scale social research projects, Open University Press, Buckingham
ELLERSHAW J, WARD C. (2003) Care of the dying patient: the last hours or days of life, Clinical Review, British Medical Journal 326: 30-4.
ELLIOTT A. (2002) Putting Spiritual Care at the Centre of the NHS, Scottish Journal of Healthcare Chaplaincy 5: 1: 15 -19.
FARVIS RA. (2005) Ethical Considerations in Spiritual Care. International Journal of Palliative Nursing 11: 4: 189.
HUNT, J., COBB, M., KEELEY, V. & AHMEDZAI, S. (2003) The quality of spiritual care – developing a standard. International Journal of Palliative Care 9:5: 208 -215.
KNOWLES, S. 2003 In Search of a Good Death. Letter, British Medical Journal 327:224
LLOYD WILLIAMS M, WRIGHT M, COBB M, AND SHIELDS C. (2004) A prospective study of the roles, responsibilities and stresses of chaplains working within a hospice. Palliative Medicine Issue 18: 638-645.
MEADOR K G. (2004) Spiritual Care at the End of Life. North Carolina Medical Journal 65: 4: 226 228.
MELLON BF. (2003) Faith to Faith at the Bedside: Theological and Ethical Issues in Ecumenical Clinical Chaplaincy. Christian Bioethics 9:1: 57-67.
MITCHELL D AND SNEDDON M. (1999) Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy: A Research Project, Scottish Journal of Healthcare Chaplaincy, 2: 2:2-6.
MOADEL A, MORGAN C, FATONE A, GRENNAN J, CARTER, J, LARUFFA G, SKUMMY A, AND DUTCHER J. (1999) Seeking meaning and hope: self reported spiritual and existential needs among an ethnically-diverse cancer patient population, Psycho-Oncology 8:5:378-385.
MOORE A AND LEVISON C (2003) Chaplains Perceptions of Supervision, Scottish Journal of Healthcare Chaplaincy, 6:2:16-20.
NICE (2004) Improving Supportive and Palliative Care for Adults with Cancer, Guidance on Cancer Services, Executive Summary, National Institute for Clinical Excellence, London
PAYNE N (2001) Occupational stressors and coping as determinants of burnout in female hospice nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing 22, 396-405.
SCHNEIDER-HARPPRECHT C, (2003) Hospital Chaplaincy Across Denominational, Cultural and Religious Borders: Observations from the German Context, Christian Bioethics, 9: 1: 91-107.
WALTER T. (1999) On Bereavement, The Culture of Grief, Open University Press, Buckingham
WASNER M, LONGAKER C, FEGG M. J. AND BORASIO JD,( 2005) Effects of spiritual care training for palliative care professionals. Palliative Medicine 19: 99-104.
WATSON M AND LUCAS C. (2000) Adult Palliative Care Guidelines, The South West London and the Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire (SWSH) Cancer Networks, 1st Edition
WRIGHT MC. (2001) Chaplaincy in hospice and hospital: findings from a survey in England and Wales, Palliative Medicine 15: 229 -242.
Published
2013-04-07
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Mcafee, C., Cochrane, B., Waldron, M., Hasson, F., & Kernohan, G. (2013). Chaplains working in a hospice palliative care team recount the spiritual challenges at the end-of-life. Health and Social Care Chaplaincy, 9(2), 18-24. https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.v9i2.18
