Exploring the Evolving Role of US Hospital Chaplains During COVID-19 Through a Job Demands-Resource Theoretical Lens

During the pandemic, the need for spiritual care grew exponentially. Although a growing body of literature has documented the experience of frontline healthcare providers such as physicians and nurses, the experiences of hospital chaplains remain largely underrepresented. In response to this gap in knowledge, this qualitative study aimed to understand how hospital chaplains ( n = 12) employed at a large medical center in Southern California adapted their roles to navigate significant organizational, interpersonal, and personal challenges, through the lens of the Job Demands-Resources framework. With a 100% response rate among eligible participants, findings illustrate how chaplains drew on available resources and engaged in job crafting to care for patients and caregivers, support healthcare staff, and cultivate their own well-being. Job crafting strategies included creative adaptations to provide compassionate care to patients and caregivers; the creation of alternate safe space and embedding themselves in clinical units to better support healthcare staff; and the adoption of new self-care practices and routines, intentional boundary setting, and the cultivation of self-compassion. The findings highlight the critical yet frequently underrecognized role of chaplains in healthcare systems and underscore the need for intentional organizations’ investments in chaplains as integral members of healthcare teams.