Empowering Kansas City Veterans Administration Chaplains: A Spiritual Leadership Toolkit for Nursing Staff Support

This doctoral research project addresses the critical issue of burnout among nursing staff at the Kansas City Veterans Administration (KCVA). Burnout is often worsened by a lack of spiritual support, thereby negatively impacting both the well-being of nurses and the quality of patient care. This project study aims to mitigate these challenges by implementing a spiritual leadership resource toolkit, tailored to equip KCVA chaplains with creative strategies to provide spiritual care for nurses. Based on Spiritual Leadership Theory and guided by biblical principles, this project explores how structured spiritual direction can improve the resilience and emotional well-being of nursing staff. The literature review highlights the role of chaplaincy, spiritual care, and leadership in addressing burnout and fostering a supportive work environment. The intervention utilizes the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model to design, implement, and refine bi-weekly spiritual direction sessions delivered by chaplains. Data is collected through participant feedback and analyzed to assess the toolkit’s effectiveness in promoting spiritual growth, reducing stress, and improving job satisfaction. The findings on this project suggested that integrating spiritual care into nursing support systems can significantly improve staff morale and patient care quality. This project provides a replicable framework for chaplaincy departments within healthcare institutions, emphasizing the transformative power of spiritual leadership in fostering holistic care for healthcare providers and recipients. By addressing the spiritual needs of nurses, this project intervention aligns with the Veterans Health Administration’s mission of honoring those who have served our country by enhancing their care environment.