FOLLOW-UP Re: Development of Palliative Care in the Ukraine (PlainViews, 10/4/2006, Vol. 3, No. 17)
Palliative Care Experts Sought to Teach in Ukraine
As you know, after numerous briefs, propositions etc from Ukrainian citizens, in July 2006 on the initiative of All-Ukrainian
council for patients rights and safety a Task Force on palliative care was created. About 30 different experts, Ukrainian as well as international, participate in the group. Already 2 meetings of the Task Force were organized.
We have the wide range of different informational materials which inform about the activities of All-Ukrainian Council of patients rights and security on that issue. We would be glad to send them to you.
One of the main results of the Task Force was official proposal of city council of Kharkiw (large industrial center in Eastern Ukraine) to begin the pilot project on implementation of palliative care in the city.The city allocated about $ 600.000 for the realization of the project.
In Kyiv, the first Center of palliative care is going to be created. In its structure, the hospice(in-patient and community palliative care / home based care), the educational and recourse center are going to function.
The establishing of numerous centers which plan and will to provide the palliative care in Ukraine results in the need in qualified education and formation of the staff of these centers. Mostly, the workers
of Ukrainian centers have some education after attending some workshops, seminars etc. But the need of their education is far more than that.
Please note that the important criteria for them is Ukrainian or
Russian language of the teaching. Another important criteria is
international certificate which allows them to educate people on palliative care.
So we ask you, if possible, to help us to establish contacts with leading international educators / experts / trainers on palliative care which are ready to come to Ukraine and have such a training or cycle of trainings for Ukrainians (in Ukrainian or Russian language). We ask such people to provide us with their CV, proposals about fees, salaries etc. We ask them to define the criteria of choosing of participants.
Task Force has several possibilities of the place where the course would be done. For example, the palliative care ward (with 20 beds) in hospital # 2 in Kyiv could be the base for the meetings.
Hoping for the collaboration with you.
Sincerely yours,
Svitlana Martyniuk-Gres, Secretary of the Task Force, President of the Association of palliative care
secretary@medpravo.org.ua
Re: When the Mind is Out, Where is God?, Rev. Martha Jacobs (PlainViews, 5/3/2006, Vol. 3, No. 7)
Rev. Jacob's article is one of the most beautifully moving narratives I've ever read. If the Rev. has any doubt as to a "Theology", i.e "knowing God" in the ravages of Alzheimer's Disease, God's presence is astonishingly revealed to us in this touching dialogue. Thank you both for offering it to us.
I've recently asked a patient here at NY Methodist if she could write about her spiritual journey during her say here. A young woman, wife and mother, she has been hospitalized over 60 days fighting an overwhelming virus; walking through the valley of the shadow of death. I suggested that she start in the moment with a word...a thought...that "in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God".
My thought is that God is more fully revealed to the patient in that sacred walk, as well as to those of us sharing in the journey. Thank you , again.
Kathryn Gore Zubin
Resident Chaplain
New York Methodist Hospital
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Re: Volunteer Chaplains – Yes or No (PlainViews, 12/20/2006, Vol. 3, No. 22)
I have read with a mixture of humor, dismay, and gratitude many of the posts regarding Volunteer Chaplains in Plainviews.
Last spring at the annual conference of the Association of Professional Chaplain, I presented one of the 90 minute conference workshops titled “Mining Pastoral Resources – A Volunteer Chaplain Program with Professional Integrity.” The room was filled to overflowing, indicating the wide interest in this subject. The evaluation feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The only real complaint is that the workshop was not long enough and needed to offer greater detail.
I heard that as a hunger to learn more, and APC seems to have agreed. Therefore I presented a proposal for an 8- hour pre-conference workshop on the subject that was accepted. I will present “Encounters that Enrich - A Chaplain Volunteer Program with Professional Integrity” as a pre-conference workshop for the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) 2007 Conference to be held in Burlingame, California, April 26 – May 2, 2007. The workshop is scheduled on Thursday, April 26, 2007 from 8:00am - 5:00pm. I am not sure of the total amount of Chaplain Continuing Education credits (CCEs) that will be offered for
the workshop, but it should be somewhere around 8 hours.
I have devoted a large portion my 18+ year career to developing programs of volunteer chaplaincy in various settings, writing policies, developing training materials, etc. My model uses both lay and clergy volunteers who have been screened, trained, and function under the supervision of a certified chaplain. In the model, these volunteers serve at varying levels of pastoral functioning depending on their background, training, etc. All volunteers function under the direct supervision of a certified chaplain, who, in my model, also functions under continuous peer review.
Those who come to this workshop will leave with a philosophical and theological underpinning for the use of chaplain volunteers, a complete set of sample policies, and a complete basic training program – all of which can be adapted to a variety of settings.
I would invite anyone planning to attend the next APC annual conference and who is truly interested in this subject (whether they be pro-volunteer or con-volunteer) to attend. Let me add that, while I will receive a stipend for the workshop, it will not even quite cover the cost of my trip. So, I am simply offering this as a service to the chaplain community as a way of being better stewards of a greatly under utilized pastoral resource.
Al Henager, BCC
Staff Chaplain
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Department of Pastoral Care
Little Rock, AR
I appreciate the dialog on volunteer Chaplains and feel compelled to respond. I think what everyone needs to remember is the word --volunteer. I for one am a volunteer Chaplain with numerous hours of training and experience particularly in the long-term care setting with required continuing educational hours. The view from here: volunteers have unwillingly been thrust into a deeper role due to budget concerns and lack of experienced personnel, not necessarily by choice. While the need increases for spiritual care, people willing to serve do not. As a volunteer I have strict guidelines and boundaries that must be adhered to in upholding the mission of Chaplaincy. Not to mention ethics and guidelines related to an interdisciplinary model of patient care. Fortunately my full-time vocation also enhances the legal aspect. While I realize that many do not have the training as others, I still feel it is a "calling." The key here to remember that a volunteer is just that - a volunteer and not meant to replace other qualified personnel. I for one am grateful that such exists for the need is great. Most volunteers have no intention of replacing qualified staff. Remember the goal here is ministering to people in collaboration with the system already in place. I think in part of this discussion that original theory has been lost. So that begs the question ---what are the motives that drive this discussion? Hopefully this will fuel food for thought and that was my sole intention in replying.
Blessings,
Rev. Darla Bower
In Christ Service Ministries
LTC & Hospice Chaplain
Central Texas
Query about pastoral care and counseling in a secular organization
I am an ordained Christian clergywoman and a pastoral counselor with AAPC. I have been asked to develop a proposal for pastoral care for staff and patients at a big city clinic which provides abortions. My first proposal was dismissed by board members -- some of whom expressed the sentiment that it might be awkward for patients who were not interested in the service -- as if by indicating that they did not want pastoral care there would be some kind of "mark" against them. Before I produce a second proposal, I want to lay a better foundation with the board.
I am interested in hearing from anyone who has introduced pastoral care and counseling into a secular organization -- both successes and failures. Let me say that much of the staff and one of the VP's is supporting the idea. Part of the problem is with Board members and the anticipation that there will be a problem with Federal grants and other funding sources, as well as concern that patients will experience a pastoral presence as condemning rather than supportive. I have determined that my role would be to be present in the moment for the woman, the unborn and the staff as representative of the Divine's steadfast love and care, irrespective of personal or professional beliefs about what has led to this woman's decision.
Pam Senko
Midwest US
psenko@juno.com
Re: Standards vs. Best Practices, Quality Commission (PlainViews, 12/6/2006, Vol. 3, No. 21)
I appreciate this thoughtful and reflective piece. I agree that there is confusion around the issues of ‘Standards’ vs. “Best Practice’. The issue would be better articulated I think if we were to explore the issues of competencies more fully. Competencies by definition are definable and measurable. A base-line competency level is possible and allows chaplains to develop their skills through education, supervision and continuing competency development.
Carl Aiken
Chaplain
Women's and Children's Hospital
North Adelaide SA
I guess this will be a shock to some, but there are valid arguments for not agreeing with the APC Quality Commission and their definition what we as chaplains do and ought to do. Some chaplains consider their work to be a ministry, not a business; as such it is more art than technology. The model the APC Commission uses (probably unconsciously) sounds "Business School" based and comes from trying to imitate and
capture the "administrative culture" and its measurement and bureaucratic techniques. Hard words, I know! However, I submit that many effects of chaplaincy are not observable; the heart can know what the computer can't record. And even if they are observable, they ought not to be charted for third parties to glean," professional" or not.
This, I submit, is the reason that in actual practice one can see what the APC bemoans in writing," Over 65 years ago, Russell Dicks wrote, “The chaplain can no longer wander from bed to bed, chatting agreeably, relieving distress occasionally as he [sic] discovers it.”; Harold Schultz, speaking of these early days, said, “Anyone who read the Bible and the like to 50 patients or more was considered equipped to be a chaplain.” Because we have no established nor minimal Standards of Practice to which professional chaplains are held accountable, the observations of Dicks and Schultz still hold true for many chaplains in healthcare settings today."
I submit that this bemoaned practice isn't only because of negligence but because of intuition. Again, the choice is almost patient care or endless paperwork. I think that the intuition of many administrators sense this too which is why there are, "wandering chaplains."
Of course there are minimal standards; of course some parties want to define and control these standards for their own reasons. Sometimes for reasons of control and upmanship or even just survival! I submit that the APC Quality Commission is striving to put this down on paper; I'm appealing that another look be taken and that another view be considered.
Thank You,
John P. Stangle
Certified Chaplain Advanced Emeritus, NACC
I read and liked the article on standards of practice and have
given it some more thought.
I would recommend the following as standards:
- Spiritual assessment (of course)
- Cultural competence ( including cultural linguistic competence)
- Understanding the language and concepts of the persons spiritual and cultural heritage World religious beliefs
- Probably need to have something about process improvement
- JCAHO guidelines related to spirituality, leadership, patient rights and ethics
Rev. Larry Austin, D.Min.
Director of Pastoral Services
Pitt County Memorial Hospital
University Health Systems
Greenville, NC.
Re: The Healing Circle of Spiritual Care, Dr. Diane Bridges (PlainViews, 12/6/2006, Vol. 3, No. 21)
A note of thanks to Dr. Diane Bridges who wrote a beautiful article on the difficult topic of spiritual care and perinatal death. She put into words much that I have felt as I am present for these parents who are in such deep grief and pain. Thanks to her and to you on the Plain Views staff for continuing to offer a variety of voices in Spiritual Care.
Rev. Caroline Patterson
Women and Infants Hospital
Providence, Rhode Island
I so enjoyed Diane Bridges' article. I thought her observations were absolutely accurate and that in addition, she was eloquent in her description.
"This is not a time for theological musings about angels and God’s will. It is a time to draw upon the profound love which is manifesting itself in excruciating grief. It is the time to validate each person who is bonded by the experience. It is time to renew the strengths of family, friends and care providers. It is time to draw upon the commitments made in the past –in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer."
In my experience (which is in Long term care) I would apply the same wisdom. Death is sometimes a surprise, sometimes not. It is always a shock. Loved ones are in need to comfort, not theological musings.
Most people at the time of their deepest despair need others to be the compassion of God, to pray for them when they simply cannot, and to be reassuring.
Rabbi Dr. David J. Zucker
Chaplain
Shalom Park
Aurora, CO
Re: a walk in time, Rev. Jerry
Griffin (PlainViews, 12/6/2006,
Vol. 3, No. 21)
"a walk in time" poem by
Chaplain Jerry Griffin is so visually
descriptive that I felt like I was
walking amongst the Griffin family
grave markers with Jerry and his brother.
Thanks for the word picture and the
reminder of what these family plots
mean to us living today.
Chaplain Jennie Malewski, MDiv, BCC,
CT
KU Hospital, Kansas City
Re: Where You Go, There I
Shall - Book Review, Rev. Stephen
Harding (PlainViews, 12/6/2006,
Vol. 3, No. 21)
Thank you! Thank you,Stephen Harding,
for hearing, for your willingness to
read and be drawn into our experience
with us, to walk with us. Sometimes
I fear our "little" book
has already been forgotten then I read
your insightful review and feel that
others are still being supported and "heard" through
our book. Thank you.
Jane J. Parkerton, Co-Author
About Pastoral Counselor Loris
Buccola
Pastoral Counselor Loris Buccola,
AAPC Diplomate, wrote a moving piece
in PlainViews in March of
2004. He was one of the first contributors
to PlainViews. He wrote about
having ALS and about being wounded
but still healing, and how shared vulnerability
leads to a deeper connection with clients.
(3/3/2004 Vol. 1, No. 3)
The Managing Editor was informed of
his recent death. Here is part of the
content of the e-mail notification:
It is with a sense of deep sadness
that we share (in Loris' own words)
that early yesterday morning, December
7th, Loris "entered into the bliss
of eternity."
A query concerning family
viewing rooms in hospitals
I am interested in learning whether
anyone has set aside a particular room
in the hospital for family "viewing" of
a body after death. This would be other
than the room where death occurred,
or the morgue. A new cardiologist has
suggested this to me, and I have never
heard of doing it. Is there any literature
regarding this practice? Thanks for
any info you can provide.
Phil Cox
Phelps County Regional Medical Center
Rolla, MO
Email: pcox@pcrmc.com
Re: Cultural Hospitality in
a Foreign Land, SeungJin Yun (PlainViews,
11/15/2006, Vol. 3, No. 20)
SeungJin's article on Cultural Hospitality
in a Foreign Land, was warm, real,
enlightening, and humbling. She offered
great pastoral care to Mr. A who was
dying physically, and who had already
died spiritually. Truly she revived
his spirit. What a marvelous blessing,
unto the Lord and this vocation.
George A. Teachey
New York, NY
Re: A Case for Peer Consultation
Groups, A. Meigs Ross (PlainViews,
11/15/2006, Vol. 3, No. 20)
I agree fully with Meigs Ross when
she encourages those in professional
chaplaincy and clinical pastoral training
to seek on going peer consultation.
Those of us in the College of Pastoral
Supervision & Psychotherapy have
staked our professional lives on such
a process of ongoing peer consultation
as lived out in the CPSP chapter. CPSP
understands ongoing accountability
through peer consultation as the gold
standard of continued professional
development. In the CPSP community
our trainees are encouraged to understand
that supervision points beyond itself
to ongoing peer consultation as the
best means of self care and professional
accountability.
George Hankins Hull Dip. Th., Th.M.,
Director of Pastoral Care and Clinical Pastoral Education
University of Arkansas For Medical Sciences-Medical Center
Re: 'Existential' Yoga, Amy
Snow (PlainViews, 11/15/2006,
Vol. 3, No. 20)
Amy Snow's reflection is apropos.
I am an Episcopal Priest and a Yoga
Instructor. Yoga is praying with the
body and the breath (contemplative
prayer). It is a way to release spiritual
conflict ("dying to self"-the
ego) and to deepen one's unity with
God.
Peace,
Mark Bigley
Toledo, Ohio
Information on Enneagrams
use sought
I am wondering if any hospital chaplains
use the Enneagram in their ministry
with patients i.e. spiritual assessment,
bereavement, oncology, palliative care,
dialysis? Also, is there anyone who
is using the Enneagram in AA groups
of any type? Thank you. Please respond
to: nbeckenh@cchseast.org
Nancy Beckenhauer
Hilcrest Hospital
Cleveland, OH
Re: Anger as a Pathway to
Holiness, Daniel Coleman (PlainViews,
11/1/2006, Vol. 3, No. 19)
I think that Chaplain Daniel Coleman's
article on 'Anger' is thought-provoking
and quite insightful. It is worthy
of great contemplation for me. As my
Rabbi Bonita would say, "Great
Job."
George A. Teachey
New York, New York
I was in need of something biblically
based on the subject of "anger" and
found the article by Daniel Coleman
in today's e-mail from Vol. 3, No.
19. A Christian lady friend of mine
lost her husband 2.5 years ago - totally
unexpected - and yesterday confessed
to me that she was not only angry at
God, but also angry at her husband.
It was good to hear "truth" spoken,
a truth that is very normal under those
circumstances, but now I can hand-carry
this article to her and pray that it
will open her mind and heart to begin
a road of healing. Please thank Chaplain
Coleman for me.
Louise M. Hutchinson, Chaplain
Fall River, New York
Information on ministry to
healthcare teams requested!
I have been a subscriber since you
started publication and love the issues.
I am looking for information/research
on ministry for healthcare teams, e.g.,
one on one support, group opportunities
to build staff morale and help staff
retention, etc. If any PlainViews readers
have any ideas where I can find articles
written on this subject or if they
have done any programs around these
issues, I would appreciate their contacting
me.
Thanks for any help you can give.
Julie Beitelschees
Chaplain
Julie.Beitelschees@ProMedica.org
Re: Asking Questions May be
the Answer, Gordon Putnam (PlainViews,
10/18/2006, Vol. 3, No. 18)
Thanks to The Rev. Gordon Putnam for
his article. You have confirmed for
me my stance with families for many
years - "be the smartest dumb
person in the room". This has
been very helpful working with patients,
families and other health care workers.
I preach this stance to my CPE students.
Having been a professional hospital
chaplain for over 30 years, I know
a lot about what happens between physicians
and families. I can ask some of the
simplest questions in the presence
of the family and physician that allows
both parties to remain in dialogue.
Serving on the Ethics Team I would
only add support to Rev. Putnam's observation
that the most difficulty is in simple
communication, not major differences.
D. James Stapleford, D. Min., MBA
Director of Spiritual Care and Education
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital
Albany, GA
Re: Development of Palliative
Care in the Ukraine (PlainViews,
10/4/2006, Vol. 3, No. 17)
I just wanted to say you that we have
received some letters already from
different chaplains in US, and they
are interested in palliative care in
Ukraine. They learned About Us in Plainviews.
So thank you very much.
Continuing the report about the palliative
care development in Ukraine, I would
like to inform you that All-Ukrainian
Council for patient’s rights
and security had organized or initiated
some events connected with World Hospice
and palliative care day. Leaders of
greatest Churches of Ukraine supported
the initiative of All-Ukrainian Council
of prayer for dying and incurably ill
persons on 7th October 2006. Also,
the press-conference about the World
hospice and palliative care Day was
held.
The representative of Ministry of
Health Mrs. O.Kolyakowa, Vice-President
of All-Ukrainian Council Mr. W.Serdiuk,
representative of International Renaissance
Foundation, Ms. M.Sawchuk, and President
of Palliative Care Association, Mrs.
S.Martyniuk-Gres participated in it.
Four TV channels broadcast it and five
publications in newspapers were issued.
Also, the second meeting of Task Force
on improving of legal acts on palliative
care took place. At the meeting, deputy
mayor of Kharkiw city proposed to begin
the pilot project on palliative care
implementing it in Kharkiw. He accented
the possibility of financing of hospices
and creating of palliative care system
in Kharkiw from the budget costs -
2007.
Reaction of the Kharkiw administration
is very hopeful. Task Force activities
on needs assessment consolidate efforts
of regional enthusiasts and creates
good basement for new activities and
initiatives directed for patients rights
advocacy.
The activities of the Task Force had
shown that basic directions of activities
in palliative care in which the technical
support and additional resources needed
are:
- Analysis and monitoring of needs in palliative care
- Analysis of barriers (legal, educational, organizational etc) and monitoring
of access to adequate anesthetization
- Forming and implementation of the National protocol of the pain syndrome
- forming of educational programs, books and other materials to educate palliative
care specialists
- Elaboration of legal acts which regulate implementation and development of
palliative care in Ukraine (on both regional and national levels)
- Intensive experience exchange with international experts (seminars, conferences
workshops etc)
- Improving of actual material base of palliative care providing
In this regard, could you kindly tell
us, in which measure the collaboration
with Ukraine in the sphere of palliative
care implementation and its integration
into the system of health care in Ukraine
is interesting for you? In which measures
are you interested and can participate
in technical support, for example,
in the form of supporting the preparing
and publishing training and educational
materials?
In which measure you could support
the training of Ukrainian specialists
in countries where palliative care
is developed? Could you support improving
the actual material base of palliative
care?
Looking forward into collaboration
and thankful in advance,
Alexander Wolf
Palliative care in Ukraine advocacy Director
alexander@tb.org.ua
Call for Abstracts!!!
I have been invited to sit on the
NJ ELNEC Committee of Rutgers University
School of Nursing for their upcoming
spring of 2007 meeting. This group
focuses on end of life issues (EL).
Their conference is focusing on spirituality
and cultural issues at the end of life.
They are asking for abstracts. This
is a great opportunity for chaplains
to participate, especially since I
was asked to be part of the committee
to look at what will be presented.
For further info on the abstract info
(due Nov. 8th) check http://nursing.rutgers.edu/cpd.
Chaplain Cynthia Brady, BCC
Re: Doing Nothin' is Somethin',
Jeffrey Palmer (PlainViews,
10/4/2006, Vol. 3, No. 17)
“Stand still. The trees and
bushes beside you are not lost. Wherever
you are is called HERE. And you must
treat it as a powerful stranger, must
ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers, ‘I
have made this place around you.”’
What a powerful quote! I very much appreciated this entire article, but this
quote made my day. I have Metis background (French and Aboriginal) and one
of the things Aboriginal children are taught is to stop and wait for the forest
to speak to them when lost. It is a principle I have respected since my youth,
but I have never heard it better expressed.
Blessings,
Glenn Robitaille
Ontario, Canada
Re: The "Dance of Disaster," Caroline
Walles (PlainViews, 9/20/2006,
Vol. 3, No. 16)
I was very impressed with Caroline
Walles' article about the disaster
chaplain project in Nebraska. I have
two questions: Do other states have "disaster
behavioral health as part of the immediate
or first response to a disaster ...
written into the state’s formal
disaster plan"? (If not, is there
a way to spread the word so that it
is?) Second, is there a network of
disaster chaplains in other states
working on this same issue? I think
it would be wonderful if information
could be shared across the country
so that each state doesn't need "to
reinvent the wheel!" We can always
learn from each other. I believe that
this is a vital need and a most-worthy
project and I support, whole-heartedly,
what Caroline and her colleagues are
doing.
Fred Walz
Pueblo Colorado
Retired Presbyterian pastor
Pastoral Counselor: Fellow in AAPC
Re: What Would You Like to
Learn?, George Teachey (PlainViews,
9/20/2006, Vol. 3, No. 16)
Thanks George Teachey for a wonderfully
humorous and accurate portrayal of
our CPE process. I laughed out loud
with the "Now you are becoming
a chaplain." I am glad you were
called to do this!
Mark LaRocca-Pitts
Staff Chaplain
Athens Regional Medical Center
Athens, GA
Re: CaseConferences
I want to thank you for the postings
of cases and their resolutions. I have
found them to be most helpful. As a
missionary for twelve years working
with people in geographically isolated
area (bush) and in the prison system;
I am now faced as a Chaplain in a hospital
setting with some new challenges.
The cases presented to date have been thought provoking and have caused me
to reflect on how I would have dealt with those same situations. Thank you
for the insight and opportunity of looking at how to do things differently
and even better than I am now.
In Christ Jesus' service,
Rev. Diane Juckes
Miramichi, New Brunswick, Canada
Re: Response to Spirituality/Medicine
Interfaith Conference (PlainViews,
8/2/2006, Vol. 3, No. 13)
In response to Gary Batchelor's
comment in the above issue of PlainViews,
this letter was received:
Gary,
Congratulations on a well worded and well written response in PlainViews.
I agree that we have now created an environment for dialogue and I am excited
to see how Dr. Hamdy has responded to the overtures of our profession. Without
a doubt the response that I wrote (I would let Chaplain Wintz speak for herself)
may well have caused defensiveness on the part of Dr. Hamdy. For me, when I
wrote my response, I did not think it would be published as it was and even
suggested a rewrite to Martha, since, as in all my first drafts, my emotions
dictate my rhetorical choices more than my mind does. But Martha said she liked
that it was forceful and she wanted it to evoke a response, so I let it ride
as was. That being said--and it did indeed evoke a response!--it may well be
that without putting Dr. Hamdy on the defense, he might not have been as willing
to dialogue. Also, without such a forceful response, it, as well as other responses,
might not have galvanized our profession into action with the result that we
are now at the table, though just barely.
When it comes to other healthcare professions claiming expertise in our field,
a frontal offensive may be of value when done at the right time. "Finding
our place at the table" may sometimes involve taking it, and then afterwards
dealing with any ruffled feathers, as you and many others have done. However,
your implication that I (again I will not speak for Chaplain Wintz) would use
this same tactic in a patient-care situation--as suggested by your example
of a chaplain causing patients to get defensive--approaches an ad hominem attack.
As you yourself know, there are vast differences in the relationships of power
between a professional chaplain and a physician negotiating roles and responsibilities
in a healthcare setting and between a chaplain and a patient. I am not sure
why you felt it necessary to chide your colleagues before you could make your
otherwise most excellent points. We need wisdom and patience--Yes!, and then
within the dictates of that wisdom and patience we may at times need to "cleanse
the temple," or else run the risk of having the "temple" stolen
by dabblers, charlatans and wannabes.
Dr. Hamdy's intentions with the Southern Medical Association's Spirituality/
Medicine Interface conference were good and still are good, but good intentions
alone are not sufficient for the provision of good spiritual care in a healthcare
setting. His intentions are now backed by actions and that is a result of our
advocacy, both offensive and defensive.
I would hope that as qualified professional peers we may find ourselves at
the same table at this conference.
All the best,
Mark
Mark LaRocca-Pitts, PhD, BCC
Staff Chaplain
Athens Regional Medical Center
Athens, GA
Re: Responses to Volunteer
Chaplains - Yes or No, Marshall Scott
(PlainViews, 8/16/2006,
Vol. 3, No. 14)
WE ARE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE
A recent opinion offered in PlainViews
is harmful to the advocacy of professional
chaplaincy, which I would define as:
the disciplined, clinical, documented
intervention of health care providers/practitioners
whose competency is assured and affirmed
by recognized (governmental) agencies.
The standard, most commonly, is Board
Certified Chaplain.
The writer states that physicians,
and (most notably) the nursing profession “have
developed levels of practice, with
various levels of training …”and
delegate much of the hands-on care
to the less-trained, “including
volunteers”. Based on this erroneous
assertion, chaplains are then accused
of failing to follow this model of “levels
of function”because we do not “recognize
ourselves in the context of ministry”,
the “normative context of the
believer”, nor the “normative
clergy”role. The suggestion is
that we think of (and establish) ourselves
as “advance practice”ministers/clergy
who are extensions of local congregations,
and extend our ministry through volunteers.
With due respect to my colleague,
I strongly disagree, and offer another
view.
It is to the detriment of our discipline
when we promote our priority function
as advanced religious ministers, as
opposed to health care providers whose
clinical, medical education and practice
finds normal expression in the health
care field. Our primary utilization
and training is focused on a patient,
not a believer (or non-believer). The
inability of organized professional
chaplaincy to gain full recognition
in the health care context is only
impeded by resistance to conceive,
comprehend, and cast our role in correlation
to other disciplines with which we
function.
Ill informed administrators, nurses,
and physicians (and other health care
providers) can not be blamed for misperceptions
about our part in the healing art.
Yes, volunteer ministers can minister
to those believers who desire such
help; let the “Pink Ladies”coordinate
this. Chaplaincy is a documented clinical
intervention accomplished by a highly
trained, certified, and well paid health
care professional. Chaplaincy should
not be entrusted to volunteers.
Melvin Ray, Board Certified Chaplain
Director of Pastoral Care
Hunt Memorial Hospital District
Greenville, Texas
In response to Marshall Scott's article
on Volunteer Chaplains, I would like
to say that I think volunteer chaplains
are an easy way out for budget focused
administrators. I think the discussion
is worthwhile, but I don't think it
needs advocacy, as it's already too
prevalent. Nor does it need to take
up Advocacy space in PlainViews. I
would suggest Chaplain Scott and other
single-chaplain pastoral care departments
first explore ideas of becoming a satellite
CPE program, or at least having a CPE
student or two from a nearby program
assist with their pastoral care needs....or
partner with a nearby seminary or faith-based
college to start a field education
assignment. The Kansas City area, and
especially St Luke's Health System
has ample resources to access without
advocating for volunteer chaplains.
Chaplain Richard Cathell, Ph.D., BCC
St Joseph Hospital
Bellingham, WA
I would like to thank Chaplain Marshall
Scott for broaching the subject of
whether there ought to be volunteer
chaplains. He makes a good case that
there sure ought to be volunteer chaplains
as this simply follows the practice
utilized by other professionals.
I agree with this argument. I can
further personally attest that had
I not had the opportunity to volunteer
as a pastoral health care worker I
never would have gone on to further
CPE training or even known about it!
Armed with a degree in Religious studies,
I approached one of the few chaplains
at a major hospital in Seattle. Fr.
Rebhahn, a Jesuit priest, had to go
through hoops reaching up to the CEO
of the hospital to get permission to
allow this unheard of practice of utilizing
a chaplain volunteer. It was during
this time that I saw a pamphlet in
the chaplain's office that mentioned
about CPE and training. Of the 4 or
5 hired chaplains none had actually
had CPE themselves although Fr. Rebhahn
was classified as a "Supervisor" by
the NACC as he had attended a weekend
workshop at some point in his career.
He told me that from what he knew he
probably would not be able to stand
taking CPE. Not discouraged by this
hint, I hunted out a program and started
my chaplain career. That's the way
things were in 1978. Because of my
experience I was a big supporter of
volunteers. However, tragically it
seemed to develop that many chaplains
saw volunteers as competitors or potential
competitors for the job position. Along
with that was the whole idea of "professional" versus "non-trained" and
the emphasis on "professional
practice" versus "naive activities".
The argument was that a doctor doesn't
let an amateur treat his patient, so
why should a chaplain (sniff) let a
volunteer treat his patient. What was
missing was recognition of what faith
brings to the practice of chaplaincy
that training doesn't supply. Again,
tragically, I saw a diminution of enthusiastic
volunteers who did have a calling to
the healing ministry due to prejudice
and lack of training (which in part
means training for the medical culture
and not rocking any boats). Volunteers
were discouraged and frankly rejected.
The end result is that organizations
like the NACC are losing membership
and the patients lose out too as chaplains
spend more on administration time and
less on pastoral care. Besides this
there seems to be the endless talk
and project about how chaplains need
to tell the world how great they are
and how we need to educate other professionals
about this. Maybe, rather, we ought
to be saying how great many others
are who have a calling to health care
ministry! I welcome this discussion
started by Marshall Scott.
Chaplain John Stangle
NACC Chaplain Emeritis
I just feel led to make a couple comments
regarding volunteer chaplains.
1. I agree they need to have training, official type training, and maybe CPE.
Why? I've heard too many complaints about volunteer chaplains from families,
nurses, and physicians.
And why is that? Their training, their expectations, etc., simply are a bit
'unreal'. For example, not too long ago a couple new volunteer chaplains at
a local hospital, contacted me to check as to what benefits I received: sick
days, overtime, insurance, etc., (I am a pastor/chaplain and was employed by
the same facility); they felt they should be receiving the same benefits as
the other chaplains on staff, and when I tried to gently let them know about
professional education/certifications, etc., they told me they had just been
through intensive training to be chaplains, too. That surprised me as I didn't
know of any intense training program for volunteer chaplains; well, it turned
out they had just completed the regular two day orientation required for all
new employees and volunteers at this institution; then they had spent half
a day with the lead chaplain to go over paperwork and pagers.
I'm sorry, that to me is not intensive
chaplaincy training.
Though they believed themselves to
be professional chaplains due to that
'training,' they didn't get anywhere
with the administration in regards
to benefits, and soon after gave notice
they would no longer serve as chaplains.
I've worked too often with volunteers who mean well, but simply don't have
the training in communicating, in working with those of other faiths/cultures,
or with those in crises. At times that simply has given chaplaincy a bad name,
and affects all of us.
2. When working with hospice volunteers in the past, I've been very impressed
with their intensive training, which I believe is part of NHPCO, and with their
mandated yearly meetings to meet annual competency checks. Other than CPE,
I don't know if there is a quality program to train volunteer chaplains; I've
not heard of annual competency checks either; there needs to be something that
is regulated.
Rev. Barbara Jackman, MDiv, BCC, MS, MS, FT
Lesueur, Minnesota
The chaplains that spoke with you
at the APC Conference sound like Syndrow,
from the movie The Incredibles: “Help-me
Help-me the volunteer chaplains are
taking over my job.”My questions
to them are: where is your compassion
towards others?; didn't you go through
training "CPE" to be where
you are right now as a full time chaplain?;
didn't you, once in your life, want
to volunteer as a chaplain to provide
pastoral care to others that are in
need? Finally, I would say to them, “get
over it. You are not the only chaplain
that God has call to provide pastoral
care to patients in the hospital.”If
a hospital has volunteer chaplains,
train them to be the best chaplains
in the hospital.
I think these chaplains need to retake
CPE and learn how to "recover
the soul," not only from patient,
but from themselves.
Sincerely,
Chaplain Ramos, Jr.
Dallas, Texas
Staff Education materials
sought...
I’m interested in any staff
educational materials you can recommend
for training staff in the importance
and function of “Spirituality
in Health Care”(videos, handouts,
etc.).
Thank you!
Pamela Weber
Day Center Manager
412 464-2107
weberpm@upmc.edu
CPE, Social Action and Mother
Earth
When I attended Andover Newton Theological
Seminary many decades ago, those of
us who felt conscientious or were merely
neurotic glommed onto the mantra "relevance" for
our ministry. There were two tracks
that followed from that. Social action,
and what we learned in the then required
but scary summer of clinical pastoral
education at Boston City Hospital.
Those two tracks were polarized towards
one another, each
criticizing the other, each feeling more relevant and superior to the other.
Is it time to find a way to integrate the two? The link below may reverberate
to a call to integrate the other track into our clinical ministry, and find
a way, without evangelizing, to encourage others who, thank god for the transference,
believe we have some corner on truth and
wisdom.
Rev. Dr. Bill Zeckhausen
New Hampshire
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/08/24/finally_fired_up_over_global_warming/
Re: A New Listserv for CPE
Supervisors-in-Training
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CPESITS/ is
a forum for CPE Supervisors-in-Training
to discuss all things related to the
process of becoming a CPE Supervisor.
This may include theory papers, committee
meetings, theology, disappointments,
celebrations, etc. It is limited to
current SITs and those that have been
out of an SIT program for up to two
years, whether tor not hey were certified.
The Rev. David W. Fleenor, M.Div., S.T.M.
Moderator, CPE SIT Listserv
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