Roles of Chaplains and Clergy in Spiritual Care for African Americans in Hospice: A Pilot Study.

This article examines the distinct and complementary roles of community clergy and hospice chaplains in providing spiritual care to African American hospice patients and their caregivers. Using qualitative interviews with caregivers, clergy, and chaplains from a large urban/suburban hospice, the study found that clergy typically offer connection to church, religious beliefs, and rituals based on longstanding relationships, while chaplains focus on addressing immediate emotional and spiritual needs related to death and dying. Interaction between clergy and chaplains is minimal, and chaplains face time constraints due to caseloads and documentation, whereas clergy can often spend more time with patients and families. The findings highlight the need for hospice programs to develop integrated processes that facilitate collaboration and handoffs between clergy and chaplains to better meet the spiritual care needs of African American patients, who report disparities in emotional and religious support in hospice. Further research is recommended to explore effective models for clergy inclusion in hospice spiritual care delivery.