ABSTRACT
Chaplains are ministers trained to work in medical and clinical settings. They provide religious, spiritual, and emotional support to patients and their families. Support may include pastoral counseling, ministry to persons of diverse cultural and religious backgrounds, assessment of patients’ spiritual needs, grief counseling, patient and family visitation, end-of-life care, participation in interdisciplinary patient care rounds, and other duties. Chaplains are usually employed by the hospital, although some are volunteers. Usual hours of availability are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Most chaplains provide evening and weekend services on a rotating or “on call” basis. An example of typical pastoral services offered at larger hospitals is shown in Figure 8.1. Chaplains often serve on hospital and departmental ethics committees and boards. Many are members of the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), a not-for-profit professional association (see Figure 8.2).
