Skip to contents
In This Issue:
The stained glass window that greets visitors in the Tower elevator lobby serves as both a sign marking the hospital’s newly constructed Chapel, and a symbol of the care and comfort that the Chaplaincy Services Department members offer.
Whether sharing prayer, listening to a difficult story, comforting someone’s fears, blessing a newborn, encouraging and supporting staff, teaching students or consulting about a challenging religious or ethical issue, each member of the department is a rich resource to patients, families, staff and employees.
Patients’ and families’ desire for more emotional and spiritual support during their hospitalization was a recurrent theme in the most recent Press, Ganey inpatient satisfaction survey, as well as previous results from the Picker Survey. Said Michael Gustafson, MD, director, Performance Measurement and Analysis, “The question of how well hospital staff address the emotional and spiritual needs of our patients is the highest priority hospital-wide survey question.”
Chaplains are continually working to address patients’ needs whether it be their direct interaction with patients or health care staff or by their involvement in committees such as Ethics, Assisted Reproductive Technology, Teamwork and Emotional Support. In addition, they also offer inservices for staff and train and supervise volunteers and students.
Under the leadership of Reverend Maureen Young Manns, PhD, the department consists of six full- and part-time employees. The chaplains come from a variety of religious traditions including—but not limited to—Jewish, Catholic, Protestant and Muslim. The chaplains provide spiritual and emotional support to patients and families while remaining sensitive to the concerns of those experiencing an illness.
When patients request a chaplain or when a caregiver believes that additional support would be helpful, a referral can be made to the Chaplaincy staff. Chaplains visit all patients who make a request, see patients pre-operatively and make rounds on floors as time allows. They are involved in providing support to family members; assisting patients and families as they make decisions about care; providing religious rituals and sacraments like prayer, anointing, baptism and blessings; comforting and offering a human touch and compassion; leading prayer services; consulting about religious traditions and practices; and responding to other needs as they arrive. Care provided to patients by chaplains is documented in the medical record.
The Chaplaincy Services Department has a chaplain in-house and available around the clock.