(By HCMA - Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association)
A professional Healthcare
Chaplain is a theologically educated, pastorally experienced, and clinically
trained minister who is certified by a professional chaplaincy organization and
serves as an integral member of the healthcare team. The chaplain’s primary
role is to provide spiritual/pastoral care to patients/residents, their family
members, and the medical staff. In addition, professional chaplaincy care
provides emotional, religious, and ethical care.
A Board Certified Chaplain
(BCC) has a specialized level of skilled spiritual/pastoral care — expertise,
proficiency, know-how — that no one else can provide. The BCC has been peer
reviewed for the competency of this chaplaincy care, and is endorsed by his or
her church for this type of specialized ministry at the bedside.
Professional Chaplains are
available 24-hours a day to provide compassionate and competent crisis
intervention and spiritual/pastoral support to everyone, regardless of their
faith or no faith.
Other Healthcare Chaplain
Duties
In House Pastor for Staff
In the often stressful and
demanding healthcare environment, the Chaplain is an understanding friend and
confidant. The Chaplain can provide a listening ear and a pastoral point of
view for the staff as they face professional and personal problems. Staff
members who have no minister of their own often seek the Chaplain’s counsel,
especially during times of personal family need or professional pressures.
Liaison for Local Clergy
Usually the healthcare
Chaplain sees a patient/resident before his or her minister is aware of the
hospitalization. With the patient/resident’s permission, the Chaplain can call
the family pastor, priest, rabbi, or other religious leader. The Chaplain
provides pastoral care and support until the patient/resident’s own minister
arrives.
Contact for the Community
Serving often as the
healthcare facility’s religious community public relations person, the Chaplain
is able to coordinate services provided by the clergy. The Chaplain is prepared
to conduct seminars and workshops on topics such as patient/resident
visitation, terminal illness, death and dying, and the grieving process. The
Chaplain is available also to speak in churches when the regular minister is
away.Support for Patients’/Residents’ Families
The Chaplain is available to
help with the distressed families of critically ill or dying
patients/residents. If the
patient/resident does not have his or her own minister, the Chaplain serves as
trusted friend and pastoral figure.
