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Spiritual Care Present at I I On
Spiritual Care Present at I I On
Chaplaincy-Spiritual Care
Presented by Rev Neil Hepworth,
Chaplain with particular responsibilities for the Medical Division, Critical Care & Palliative Care
Physical
He may cry for rest, peace and dignity, but he will get infusions, transfusions, a heart machine, or a tracheotomyHe may want one single person to stop for one single minute so he can ask one single question- but he will get a dozen people around the clock, all busily preoccupied with his heart rate, pulse, electrocardiogram or pulmonary functions, his secretions or excretions but not with him as a human being
(Kubler-Ross, 1969, edition 1997, On Death and Dying, New York, Scribner , p22, italic emphasis mine).
Quote
What is
Spirituality?
Spirit-Human spirit &/or Divine Spirit Connecting with the other and/or being
aware of the bigger world around us. Human desire & quest for meaning The essence of who I am- my unique identity Shaped by our experience & context May be expressed & nurtured in various ways Beyond the physical, mental, emotional yet encompasses all of them Integral to a Religion or faith structure for many people but not all
granted
Health problems can threaten our peace. It can lead to existential questioning It can arouse strong emotions It may affect self-esteem
to access them
It is about the patients spirituality and not our
own
Basic Spiritual Care: Something we are all responsible for! (Ingredients of care)
Empathy Emotional support Listen to spiritual concerns
As patients may express their needs only once, it is important for those assessing need to be highly attuned to the spiritual dimension of patient care
(NICE, 2004,Supportive & Palliative Care Services for Adults with Cancer, p96, section 7.7).
Basic Spiritual Care: Something we are all responsible for! (Ingredients of care continued )
Reminiscence
Encouragement & Hope
*Affirming a positive outlook is not to be confused with prohibiting any expression of negative and low feelings!!! Nor is it giving false reassurance!
we are people first and professionals secondit is the people part of us that is required most in our offering of spiritual care
(Tom Gordon, A Need for living, 2001, page 41).
All that was said under basic spiritual care plus: Use of reminiscence for spiritual assessment and targeted support Theological and philosophical explorations around existential issues Religious support
of the individual: accepting their range of doubts, beliefs and values just as they are. It means responding to the spoken or unspoken statements from the very core of that person as valid expressions of where they are and who they are. It is to be a facilitator in their search for identity on the journey of life and in the particular situation without being prescriptive, judgemental or dogmatic and without preconditions, acknowledging that each will be at a different stage on that personal spiritual journey.
(Stoter, D., 1995, Spiritual Aspects of Health Care. London: Mosby, page 8)
Listen
Encourage them to talk about their lives-
especially achievements, sources of hope, concerns/regrets/disappointments By being accepting- ie non-judgmental By not pushing your own belief or unbelief but focusing on the patients agenda and their beliefs/values Refer to a chaplain
you find yourself thinking about? What things/activities/people are important to you? How do you see the future? Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? Is there anything on your mind? Does anything help you cope with all this?
Any questions or things you want to say? Thank you for listening- and remember I am here to support you as well as the patients! Contacting a Chaplain: Office tel 27 68792 If Urgent ring switchboard and ask for the on-call chaplain- a 24/7 provision.