Introducing Chaplains to Research: "This Could Help Me''

Health care chaplains are beginning to recognize the need to become an evidence-based profession. This will require that all chaplains become informed consumers of research. There has been little investigation into the barriers that chaplains face as they attempt to become research literate. This study employed comments of 94 chaplains who attended pastoral research workshops to examine attitudes chaplains report about research that might represent these barriers. The study also assessed the effects of the workshops on changing chaplains' feelings about research. Initially, many chaplains reported feeling anxious and inadequate when they thought about research. After the workshops, they reported a significant change to more positive feelings such as encouragement. As one chaplain wrote, "I feel hopeful. This could help me in my work.'' This study suggests that, if provided with appropriate education, many chaplains are ready to become more active research consumers and a few would consider becoming investigators.