We are looking for 2 volunteer research assistants to work on our qualitative research project on healthcare chaplains’ experiences in working with culturally diverse patients and families and using diverse modes of spiritual care delivery. As a member of interdisciplinary healthcare teams, healthcare chaplains play key roles in providing palliative support to patients and families including providing spiritual care and support as well as facilitating advance care planning conversations. Our previous research findings suggest that many chaplains serve increasingly diverse patients and families and deliver spiritual care and ACP support using telehealth modality. This qualitative research project aims to (1) understand how advance care planning (ACP) and spiritual services are delivered via telechaplaincy, and (2) to identify the readiness and need of cultural competency education and training among healthcare chaplains. Individual interviews will be conducted virtually (e.g., Zoom) with up to 40 chaplains. This study is being conducted by Associate professor Jung Kwak, PhD, MSW, in the School of Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin. The position will provide students with the opportunity to learn proper research procedures and techniques. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to conduct in-depth individual interviews. Course credit is available. This is an unpaid research assistantship.
Minimum requirements include: (1) Having taken at least one course either on research methods, or statistics, (2) Critical thinking skills and a willingness and ability to learn, (3) Attention to detail, (4) History of academic success, preference given to GPA>3.5, and (5) Commit to 5-10 hours week for at least 1 semester.
The project will start on March 1st . Students can commit 5-10 hours in the Spring semester 2022 and 5-10 hours over the summer 2022.
Responsibilities may include: scheduling interviews, assisting in interviews, and qualitative data transcribing, coding and analysis. Some meetings and tasks can be completed remotely.
