I poems: Voices from the heart

A vital part of the data analysis was to apply a qualitative method developed initially by Brown, Gilligan, and colleagues (1992) in the context of feminist studies, the ‘I Poem’ approach. This method is structured to bring often overlooked or hidden voices of expression to the fore. We used this to reach beyond the voices of professionalism and institutional expectations. Applying this method helped to reveal the personal and the often-missed voices underlying the surface comments of individual chaplains as they worked through the crisis, being the prophetic voice of care and compassion. The I-poems were shared with the participant chaplains to mitigate researcher bias and ensure they accurately reflect the chaplains’ experience.