Emotional Disorder
Conditions
Brief summary
In 2019, a full-time chaplain was placed in the Golden Cross Academic Clinic (GCAC), with the chaplain's focus being in the primary care internal medicine department. While research exists regarding chaplains in the inpatient setting, research regarding the presence of a full-time chaplain in a primary care setting as well as the topics patients discuss with that chaplain are limited.
Detailed description
A few studies conducted in the hospital setting have shown what topics patients typically discuss with a chaplain. In the article, "Patients and Loved Ones' Expectations of Chaplain Services. Munchausen and colleagues present that the two highest-rated services performed by chaplains were spiritual and emotional support. This study also found that patients wanted to see a chaplain for the following reasons: to be listened to, to be with in times of anxiety, to offer support to loves ones, to remind of God's care and presence, to pray, for religious rituals, to assist with the understanding of advance care planning documents, and to counsel regarding moral or ethical decisions.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALCounseling
To introduce a model of holistic care to the patient populations served by the GCAC through chaplain interventions that focus on spiritual and emotional health.
Sponsors
Methodist Health System
Study design
Observational model
OTHER
Time perspective
RETROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* • Patient at the GCAC who are \> 18 years old * Met with a member of the on-staff chaplaincy during a visit to GCAC
Exclusion criteria
* • Patient did not meet with a member of the on-staff chaplaincy during a visit to GCAC
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of times chaplain is requested by patient or provider | 1 year | Number of request from the patients or provider for chaplain |
| Usefulness, feasibility, and reception of screening mechanism for GCAC staff | 1 year | Develop a screening mechanism that allow GCAC staff to identify patients who could benefit from spiritual and emotional support. |
| Themes discussed during meeting between chaplain and patient | 1 year | Explore themes from patient conversations with a chaplain |
| Number of meetings/conversations pertaining to each theme identified | 1 year | Theme identified for the number of meetings/conservations |
Countries
United States
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORAndrew Dowden, PhD
Methodist Midlothian Medical Center
Outcome results
None listed