When it comes to healing a patient, it goes beyond physical health. Emotional health is equally important for the patient and the family. Pastoral care services provide spiritual and emotional support for patients and their loved ones during times of stress, uncertainty, and grief.
The role of pastoral care services
Pastoral care is intended to provide spiritual and emotional support in a clinical setting to patients and families who come from diverse backgrounds.
Chaplains may:
- Address patient questions
- Serve as a non-judgmental listening ear
- Be a source of comfort for the patient and family
- Communicate information and provide educational resources
- Provide bereavement support during end-of-life care
- Based on the patient’s religious beliefs, provide religious support
Although chaplains are not diagnosing and treating patients, they collaborate with medical professionals and caregivers to provide the best care possible. Chaplains understand how scary, confusing, and sometimes traumatic these situations can be for everyone involved. When patients are in a medical crisis, their other life stresses also seem magnified. As patient’s share their challenges, chaplains help them carry the load for a brief time which supports the patient to face their challenges with courage and purpose. The goal of pastoral care is to provide a compassionate presence during a stressful time.
If you need pastoral care services while at Jordan Valley Medical Center, please speak to hospital staff or physicians or call 801-562-3203. Chaplains from several major faiths are on call.
