Dr. Fiona Timmins

Summary

This project aims to review the 2018 revised Final Journeys programme in terms of clarity, validity, comprehensivity and credibility, process and content and transferability. Stufflebeam's curriculum evaluation model (Stufflebeam & Zhang 2017) was used to determine, in terms of validity, whether or not the programme reflects current contextual practice, policy and legislation in the Republic of Ireland [ROI].

Funding Agency

Irish Hospice Foundation

Project Type

Scoping Review

Summary

O1: Establish an INSiGHT Network by drawing together a broad range of academic disciplines, traditions, professions and worldviews, fostering knowledge that will develop a European wide understanding and operational definition of (or typologies in approaches to) spirituality to guide on-going enquiry. O2: Develop an online platform, accessed by proposers only, as part of an INSiGHT website that will serve as a forum to disseminate the group's aim, interactions and outputs to the Network. O3: Identify and review broad definitions of spirituality across the Network, through systematic methods and consensus, by building on available specialist consensus documents, the wide expertise available within the Network, and other peer-reviewed material. O4: Develop an evidence-based, user-friendly spiritual well-being assessment tool within the Network for use in healthcare practice, and also across the public sector and NGOs, such as immigration, social support, bereavement, prisons, and veteran support groups. This assessment tool will be accessible and available for use, without charge, on the COST Action website and published in an open access peer-reviewed journal. O5: Develop an online repository to aid understanding of spirituality and its relationship to religion, in a European context. Healthcare workers and others working with vulnerable populations internationally may access this repository and use the materials as a benchmark for providing spiritual support or referral.

Funding Agency

Erasmus

Programme

COST

Project Type

Networking proposal

Summary

Hospital in-patients and families are frequently in need of spiritual support, particularly during illness, in death, or when facing difficult or challenging life events. The healthcare chaplain is recognised as having jurisdiction to address spiritual needs and is generally called upon to support others in times of crisis. Using a phenomenological approach this research aimed to explore healthcare chaplains' experience of providing spiritual support to patients and families from minority religious and non-religious groups. The study revealed that healthcare chaplains display a wealth of skills, comprising insight, compassion, humility and empathy. Findings illustrate the significance of making sense of healthcare chaplaincy, the role of faith and of ritual, and the importance of education and training to inform and develop personal strength, resilience and creativity. Chaplains seek ongoing supports and at times, professional supervision, to facilitate self-awareness and 'self-work', as this is the foundation of quality chaplaincy care. This research is the first exploration of healthcare chaplains in this context. The work is important given the changing perspectives on religion and spirituality in Ireland and ongoing debates about the value of healthcare chaplains to address patients' needs in an increasingly secular society.

Funding Agency

Healthcare Advancement Fund, Adelaide Health Foundation, Tallaght Hospital

Project Type

Qualitative Research

Summary

This study aimed to explore current approaches to and facilities for spiritual care provision in the Republic of Ireland (ROI). It also aimed to explore models and frameworks for healthcare chaplaincy and best practice in the area that could guide development of integrated, responsive future resources in the ROI. The findings identify that providing spiritual care to patients is a key component of hospital policy. Spiritual support is identified as the responsibility of the whole healthcare team with specific responsibility being attributed to the healthcare chaplain. Chaplaincy services are enshrined within the dominant faith, however the service is also perceived as a multifaith service. Most sites provided a sacred space or quiet place for clients, visitors and staff to contemplate. The description of the sacred space provided varied between the self-report and policy and website information received. The religious provision identified was consistent with contemporary distributions of religious affiliation in the ROI according to the latest Irish Census.

Summary

Conjoint Clinical Project with St. James's Hospital and Tallaght Hospital Dublin