The ever-rising importance of hospital chaplains

The ever-rising importance of hospital chaplains 
Religion News Service (RNS); by Robert L. Klitzman; 10/24/24 
Frequently, chaplains are the only hospital staff member who has time to sit and speak with patients and families. ... “My religion is watching CNN,” a feisty elderly woman with cancer recently told a hospital chaplain who had knocked on the patient’s door to introduce himself. ...  [After initial resistance, they] developed a rapport, and she described her deep loneliness and terror of dying. At the end of their conversation, she felt better, grasped the chaplain’s hand firmly and said, “Thank you!” ... In recent decades, the proportion of Americans who are “religiously unaffiliated” has risen sixfold, and the percentage of “Christian” individuals has dropped about a third. Partly as a result, chaplains have, at the same time, increasingly gained training in interfaith and nondenominational approaches, and frequently see their profession as “post-religious” — extending beyond the boundaries of any one particular faith; taking nondenominational, multifaith and humanistic approaches; and commonly receiving training in counseling. With these skills they aid patients, from evangelical to agnostic, atheist and “nothing in particular,” in resetting priorities and finding sources of connection, meaning, purpose and hope. Strongly committed to aiding vulnerable and underserved populations, chaplains remind doctors to uphold the dignity of every patient.
Editor's note: Call all executive leaders--whatever your faith background--click here to continue reading this excellent article with data, descriptions, and applications about the importance of your patients spiritual care needs and the unique training and skills for hospital/hospice/palliative care chaplains. For a recent, related post, see Research synthesis related to oncology family caregiver spirituality in palliative care.