Gender-Based Perspectives on Professional Healthcare Chaplaincy Board Certification
Corresponding Author
Kelsey B. White
Department of Health Management and System Sciences, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville
Correspondence should be addressed to Kelsey White, Department of Health Management and System Sciences, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville, 485 East Gray Street, Suite 109, Louisville, KY 40202. E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorRyan M. Combs
Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville
Search for more papers by this authorHallie R. Decker
Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville
Search for more papers by this authorBrandon M. Schmidt
Department of Sociology, Bluegrass Community and Technical College
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Kelsey B. White
Department of Health Management and System Sciences, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville
Correspondence should be addressed to Kelsey White, Department of Health Management and System Sciences, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville, 485 East Gray Street, Suite 109, Louisville, KY 40202. E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorRyan M. Combs
Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville
Search for more papers by this authorHallie R. Decker
Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, University of Louisville
Search for more papers by this authorBrandon M. Schmidt
Department of Sociology, Bluegrass Community and Technical College
Search for more papers by this authorAcknowledgments: We extend our sincere appreciation to George Fitchett and Daniel Grosseohme for help with the study design as well as Renae Johnson and Imisha Gurung for their assistance in data collection. Further, we thank the Association of Professional Chaplains Board Members and the National Association of Catholic Chaplains Board Members for their feedback in developing this manuscript.
Abstract
This article explores the ways in which gendered processes play out through the professionalization of chaplains in healthcare settings. It describes how gender manifests within organizations, how literature addresses the role of gender in professionalization, and considerations for professional chaplaincy. Fifty interviews with U.S. chaplains were analyzed to explore the relationship between the professionalization of chaplaincy and male and female positionality. Although gender theory moves beyond binary conceptualizations of gender, all participants in this study self-identified as male or female and our data were analyzed accordingly. The language and professionalization efforts used by male and female chaplains mirror the gendered cultural expectations associated with these groups. This article notes how the patriarchal structures of both religious and healthcare institutions are inextricably embedded in the chaplaincy profession; thus, female chaplains have found it necessary to challenge these systems from the beginning.
Supporting Information
| Filename | Description |
|---|---|
| jssr12752-sup-0001-AppendixS1.docx1.3 MB | Appendix 1. Occupational closure strategies adapted from Witz (1990). |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
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