The Role and Value of Chaplains in an Australian Ambulance Service: A Comparative Study of Chaplain and Paramedic Perspectives.
J Relig Health
; 62(1): 98-116, 2023 Feb.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36402854
ABSTRACT
Chaplains are embedded in several ambulance services across Australia, however as Australia's religiosity is currently in decline and questions are being asked about retaining chaplains, little is actually known about their role and value within Ambulance services. The aim of this paper is to present the key findings from interviews with chaplains about their role and value of being ambulance chaplains. These findings are then compared with those of paramedics derived from an earlier phase of this study. Thirteen chaplains participated in semi-structured interviews, and data were analysed using framework analysis. The results indicated that ambulance chaplains provided paramedic-centred emotional and spiritual care through proactively and reactively supporting paramedics in their work. Chaplains saw value in their relational approach which facilitated trust and access, did not seek to 'fix' or diagnose but instead offered physical and emotional presence, and promoted supportive conversations. Chaplains and paramedics valued operationally trained and equipped ambulance chaplains who provided a relational, around the clock, 'frontline' staff support presence in paramedic workplaces, regardless of the paramedic's personal religious/spiritual beliefs.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Ambulancias
/
Clero
Tipo de estudio:
Qualitative_research
Límite:
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
Oceania
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Relig Health
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Australia