The Role of the Chaplain as a Patient Navigator and Advocate for Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: One Academic Medical Center's Experience

Paula Teague; Susan Kraeuter; Sarah York; Wayman Scott; Muhammad M Furqan; Sammy Zakaria

doi:10.1007/s10943-019-00865-z

The Role of the Chaplain as a Patient Navigator and Advocate for Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: One Academic Medical Center's Experience

J Relig Health. 2019 Oct;58(5):1833-1846. doi: 10.1007/s10943-019-00865-z.

Authors

Paula Teague^{1

2

3}, Susan Kraeuter⁴, Sarah York⁵, Wayman Scott⁶, Muhammad M Furqan⁷, Sammy Zakaria^{4

8}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. pteague1@jhmi.edu.
² Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 4940 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA. pteague1@jhmi.edu.
³ Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. pteague1@jhmi.edu.
⁴ Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 4940 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
⁵ Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁶ Department of Pastoral Counseling, Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁷ Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
⁸ Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Abstract

Effective communication between intensive care unit (ICU) staff, and patients and their families, can help increase understanding, trust, and goals-of-care decisions. Many strategies focus on enhancing communication by increasing family meetings or adding patient navigators. In our ICU, we implemented both strategies, uniquely appointing a chaplain for the patient navigator role. We then surveyed ICU staff on their perceptions of the chaplain/patient navigator, which yielded several valuable insights. Although all staff supported a strong chaplaincy presence, many had concerns about the dual chaplain/patient navigator role. Based on our mixed results, we encourage further exploration to optimize the chaplain role in the ICU.

Keywords: Chaplain; Intensive care; Patient advocacy; Patient navigation; Patient-centered care; Spiritual care.

MeSH terms

Academic Medical Centers
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Clergy / psychology*
Family
Humans
Intensive Care Units / organization & administration*
Middle Aged
Patient Advocacy*
Patient Navigation*
Quality Improvement