Chaplain Utilization in Undergraduate Nursing Education

Thursday, June 13, 2024

4:30 PM - 4:40 PM East Coast USA Time

Location: 302

Lead Author(s)

Kaitlin Couture, MSN, RN, CHSE (she/her/hers)

Simulation Lab Coordinator
The Citadel
Charleston, SC, United States

Co-Author(s)

Jody Smith, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNE (she/her/hers)

Adjunct Faculty
Grand Canyon University
Charleston, SC, United States
Ashley Bukay, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN (she/her/hers)

Assistant Professor
The Citadel
Charleston, SC, United States

Disclosure(s):

Kaitlin Couture, MSN, RN, CHSE: No financial relationships to disclose

Jody Smith, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNE: No financial relationships to disclose

Ashley Bukay, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN: No financial relationships to disclose

Abstract :

Introduction: During an interprofessional simulation, 15 senior nursing students had the opportunity to consult a chaplain post cardiac arrest. The benefit of a clergy within the healthcare team was a known resource to the educators’ however, limited literature has been published related to the use of chaplains in healthcare simulations. Professional nursing organizations identify interdisciplinary collaboration as a method to optimize healthcare outcomes. The purpose of this project was to create a reflective observation interdisciplinary simulation experience utilizing Kolb’s Experimental Learning Theory.

Methods: The students and chaplains were asked to complete anonymous surveys that may give a new understanding of the benefits and barriers of interprofessional collaboration during a nursing simulation in the Swain Department of Nursing lab. Data was extracted and analyzed by three faculty members and one student utilizing Colaizzi’s method for data analysis. The data was organized into categories and themes were identified to gain a new understanding of the roles and benefits of a chaplain as an interdisciplinary member of the healthcare team.

Results: The three main themes included chaplain role, holistic, and simulation feedback. Chaplain role referred to an understanding of what the chaplain has to offer the healthcare team. Holistic referred to the therapeutic communication that took place during the patient care interaction. Within the simulation feedback, participants reported feeling “great”, “real”, and “comforted”.

Conclusion: The findings from this qualitative study will inform future interprofessional patient care and holistic health simulations. Future recommendations include utilizing a standardized patient and having two students per scenario.

Please include a short summary of your presentation that highlights why an attendee would want to participate in your session.: American Association of Colleges of Nursing has tasked baccalaureate nursing programs with the need to provide Interprofessional education (IPE) to optimize care outcomes. In an effort to meet this IPE standard, the nursing faculty collaborated with The Citadel campus chaplains to create a simulation experience that would provide a unique opportunity to understand the chaplaincy role in a healthcare setting.
Learning Objectives:
Participant will understand the simulation design utilized in this interprofessional based experience.
Participant will examine the roles and purposes of a chaplain as an interprofessional resource in a health care team
Participant will analyze the data collected through the debriefing and subsequent survey process