Developments in Healthcare Chaplaincy in the Netherlands and Scotland

A Content Analysis of Professional Journals

Authors

  • Jan Piet Vlasblom Ikazia Hospital, Rotterdam
  • Martin N. Walton Protestant Theological University, Groningen
  • Jenny T. van der Steen VU University Medical Center
  • Jaap J. Doolaard Minister (retired), Protestantse Kerk in Nederland
  • Henk Jochemsen Special Chair for Christian Philosophy, Wageningen University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.v2i2.20409

Keywords:

Developments, healthcare chaplaincy, Netherlands, Scotland

Abstract

Chaplaincy care has undergone a significant evolution in recent decades, and the end is not yet in sight. It has not always been a simple task to retain the essence of the profession during these changes. In order to gain insight into the core identity of spiritual care in the healthcare sector, we have analysed the journals of two leading professional associations, focusing on key issues, in order to allow the past to help us gain insight into the future. Our analysis of the Dutch journal Tijdschrift Geestelijke Verzorging (Journal for Spiritual Care) and the Scottish Journal of Healthcare Chaplaincy has shown that, although both journals have converging views on several key issues, there are also significant differences. The observations have resulted in different recommendations for professionals of the two countries. To spiritual care professionals in Scotland, recommendations are made to increase the focus on multicultural spiritual care, while the value of evidence-based practice, and working in accordance with best practice, is brought to the attention of their Dutch colleagues.

Author Biographies

  • Jan Piet Vlasblom, Ikazia Hospital, Rotterdam

    Jan Piet Vlasblom is an ordained protestant minister and chaplain at Ikazia Hospital in Rotterdam, Netherlands. His research activities focus on the perspectives of patients and the roles of nurses in relation to spiritual care. Related to this is his research on recent shifts in the understandings of chaplaincy and spirituality.

  • Martin N. Walton, Protestant Theological University, Groningen

    Martin Walton is professor by special appointment in spiritual care and chaplaincy studies at the Protestant Theological University, Groningen, Netherlands. He previously served as a chaplain in psychiatric care and as an ethical consultant in care for persons with a mental handicap. His present research focuses on conceptualizations of spirituality in health care and on description and methodology of chaplaincy care. He is a member of the academic committee of the Dutch Association of Spiritual Caregivers in Health Care and of the Research Network of the Society for Intercultural Pastoral Care and Counseling.

  • Jenny T. van der Steen, VU University Medical Center

    Jenny van der Steen is an Associate Professor at the VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, the Netherlands and her work focuses on palliative care for older people, in particular in long-term care settings and in dementia. Collaboration with researchers in the UK, US, Canada, Japan, France, Israel, Italy and Flanders has been part of cross-national work. Quality of life and dying, and quality of care are main outcomes of her studies which employ a variety of quantitative and qualitative designs. Other work focuses on methodological issues, treatment, infectious diseases, mortality risk, spiritual care, and family counselling.

  • Jaap J. Doolaard, Minister (retired), Protestantse Kerk in Nederland

    Jacob Doolaard (1945), MA Theology, is a retired minister; he worked for 35 years as a parish pastor in the Protestant Church in the Netherlands and as a hospital chaplain. He published articles on pastoral care, chaplaincy care and medical ethics; he is editor of the Handboek Geestelijke Verzorging (Handbook for Pastoral and Spiritual Care), 1996, 2006, 2009.

  • Henk Jochemsen, Special Chair for Christian Philosophy, Wageningen University

    Dr Henk Jochemsen holds a PhD in sciences. For over 20 years he has worked in the field of ethics and spirituality in health care. In this period he held the Lindeboom Chair for medical ethics at the VU Medical centre, and was the chairman of a national platform for ethics and spirituality in palliative care. At the moment he holds the special chair for Christian Philosophy at the Wageningen University.

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Published

2015-03-10

How to Cite

Vlasblom, J., Walton, M., van der Steen, J., Doolaard, J., & Jochemsen, H. (2015). Developments in Healthcare Chaplaincy in the Netherlands and Scotland: A Content Analysis of Professional Journals. Health and Social Care Chaplaincy, 2(2), 235-254. https://doi.org/10.1558/hscc.v2i2.20409