Chaplains and Spiritual Care

What is a chaplain?

A chaplain is a care team member who is trained to understand the spiritual care needs of patients, families, and staff. Chaplains provide emotional, spiritual, and religious support to people of all faith and religious backgrounds.

Chaplains show care and respect for each person’s faith and spiritual journey. This includes those who are religious, are spiritual but not religious, or do not believe in God or identify with any spiritual belief.

How chaplains can help

Chaplains and other spiritual care specialists can be a comforting presence during a time of stress and uncertainty. Chaplains are available to help throughout the care journey, from the initial diagnosis through the end of treatment.

A chaplain’s main role is to listen and be a source of support. They are available to pray, provide resources, offer religious services and sacraments, and discuss spiritual questions in ways that respect everyone’s unique spiritual expression and beliefs. 

Spiritual care can help patients and families cope with the challenges of childhood illness and find strength and comfort.

Types of spiritual care

Spiritual care includes a variety of services to promote the well-being of patients and families. A chaplain or spiritual care specialist can:

• Help with religious, spiritual, and emotional issues
• Offer religious services, rituals, and sacraments
• Provide a safe place to share fears, worries, and upsetting thoughts
• Have spiritually supportive conversations 
• Help families find strength and encouragement in their faith and spirituality
• Listen and offer support to help patients and families cope with bad news or difficult decisions
• Provide grief and other counseling
• Support relationships and communication with others
• Connect patients and families to churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious groups in their community
• Help patients and families consider how spiritual or religious factors might affect their health care decisions

How to seek spiritual care

Most hospitals have chaplains on call 24 hours a day. The department where they work may be called Spiritual Care, Pastoral Care, Chaplaincy, or a related name. Many hospitals also offer a chapel or sacred space for prayer, meditation, or reflection.

Chaplains can work with individuals or families. For children and teens, it can help to share feelings and experiences with a trusted adult who is not a parent. They may fear their true feelings will upset their parents. In some cases, a chaplain may be assigned to your child’s care team.

Talk to your care team to learn more about the spiritual care services that are available.

Questions to ask about chaplains and spiritual care

• What spiritual care services are available?
• How do I request a chaplain visit?
• Can the chaplain offer certain religious sacraments or rituals?
• Where is the chapel or sacred space located in the hospital?
• How does the spiritual care offered accommodate different faiths or spiritual beliefs?

Related Content