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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Hosptial Chaplaincy - introducing yourself
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Evensong
Shipmate
# 14696
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Posted
I'm doing a Clinical and Pastoral Education unit at a large, urban government hospital that has an ecumenical pastoral care department.
I'm finding introducing myself to patients so as to achieve "informed consent" quite challenging.
How do you adequately explain what the service is that you are offering in a short sentence?
Walking into a room (after knocking) and saying "Hello - my name is Evensong and I'm from the pastoral care department. I wondered if you'd like some company today" (or something similar) doesn't really seem to fit the bill in terms of explaining what it is that I'm offering.
I know a few of you are hospital chaplains so I'm wondering what kind of opening introductions you use that are helpful in alerting the patients as to what you are there for and what they are agreeing to when you ask if you can sit down and they agree?
![[Help]](graemlins/help.gif)
Thanks in advance.
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a theological scrapbook
Posts: 9481 | From: Australia | Registered: Apr 2009
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Uncle Pete
Loyaute me lie
# 10422
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Posted
You might see it as offering services. You're not, at least not openly. It is for the patient, or for his family, to tell you what he wants.
Pastoral services is not like providing a menu which offers one from column a and one from column b.
The best opening sentence you can give someone hospitalised is:
quote:
Hi, N [and please don't look down at your clipboard to check his name. Doctors do that], I'm Evensong. Would you like some company today?
If you haven't been sent off with a flea in your ear, (because hospitalized patients have a finely tuned bullshit meter, and, face it, some just don't like pastoral service and smell them coming. And you are wearing a nametag, or something to identify you as not blood-technician, but have a right to be there), then carry on normal social discourse.
Then, if the patient asks you for your services, supply them. If you cannot supply them [eg holy communion, confession, absolution for RC patients], arrange for them. PDQ. If you cannot arrange it (time constraints, time of day) say so. And apologize. As one dear non-Catholic friend of mine told us (he's no longer here, but his presence looms large), most people, in extremis, will take what they can get. And that would be you. Deal, because the visit is not about what you do, but what the patient wants or needs.
Sorry to be long-winded, but I've spent months, even years in hospital, and even 55 years later I can tell you which pastoral service types I still pray for and equally can tell you who I dismiss (one being a priest of my own church, who had the bedside manners of a mortician)
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Even more so than I was before
Posts: 20466 | From: No longer where I was | Registered: Sep 2005
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Uncle Pete
Loyaute me lie
# 10422
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Posted
PS, and even if we look on you as requiring a flea, be nice. If we are alone, we are probably lonely and often frightened. We like company, and, who knows, you might become a looked-for visitor.
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Even more so than I was before
Posts: 20466 | From: No longer where I was | Registered: Sep 2005
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Huia
Shipmate
# 3473
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Posted
I remember ending up in hospital as a student. As I was in the halls of residence I was taken by the university chaplain. The next evening was the time most of the vicars in the rehion visited their parshioners and I had about 8 or 10 visit and offer to pray with/for me. I thought I was dying and no one had told me.
So yeah, the way you explain who you are and what you are doing there is important.
Huia
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Charity gives food from the table, Justice gives a place at the table.
Posts: 10382 | From: Te Wai Pounamu | Registered: Oct 2002
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vascopyjama
Shipmate
# 1953
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Posted
Hi Evensong
This may sound wanky, but, have you asked your supervisor or your group how they introduce themselves? What is the standard practice? After all you are not the first to travel this road...
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Behold the duck. The scent of a wet dog. The familiar ahh of your own bed. Things to ponder.
Posts: 298 | From: The Sea of Turbidity | Registered: Dec 2001
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Clarence
Shipmate
# 9491
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Posted
Evensong, FD is now an aged care, rather than a hospital, chaplain, but seems to somehow just walk into the ward and say 'hello, I'm FD, I'm a chaplain' and then has people telling him their life stories. I'll get him to fill me (or you) in on what the magic ingredient is.
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I scraped my knees while I was praying - Paramore
Posts: 793 | From: Over the rainbow | Registered: May 2005
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Arabella Purity Winterbottom
Trumpeting hope
# 3434
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Posted
Great suggestions.
Just don't be like the chaplain at the hospital where my partner had her open heart surgery - we asked for a bible to look something up and he couldn't provide one. He then wanted to know how my mum coped with having a gay daughter.
We were all far too polite to him.
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Hell is full of the talented and Heaven is full of the energetic. St Jane Frances de Chantal
Posts: 3702 | From: Aotearoa, New Zealand | Registered: Oct 2002
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Angloid
Shipmate
# 159
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Huia:
I remember ending up in hospital as a student. As I was in the halls of residence I was taken by the university chaplain. The next evening was the time most of the vicars in the rehion visited their parshioners and I had about 8 or 10 visit and offer to pray with/for me. I thought I was dying and no one had told me.
That's why, when (as a parish priest) I have visited someone in hospital I have always been wary of making any sort of contact (apart from, if they catch your eye, a smile or 'good morning') with any other patients. I know some clergy are promiscuous with their pastoral favours and I don't think it's appropriate.
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Brian: You're all individuals!
Crowd: We're all individuals!
Lone voice: I'm not!
Posts: 12927 | From: The Pool of Life | Registered: May 2001
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Evensong
Shipmate
# 14696
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Huia:
So yeah, the way you explain who you are and what you are doing there is important.
Exactly. The chaplain = I must be dying is a common misconception.
quote:
Originally posted by vascopyjama:
Hi Evensong
This may sound wanky, but, have you asked your supervisor or your group how they introduce themselves? What is the standard practice? After all you are not the first to travel this road...
I have asked around my CPE group and my supervisor and other experienced chaplains and it seems:
1) the "informed consent" issue is not usually dealt with in an introduction
2) there are various options but none that I find suitable that I've heard so far
3) my supervisor told me to experiment.
We've been chucked into the deep end in terms of patient contact but apparently it's "chucked into the deep end with floaties".
Apparently.
quote:
Originally posted by Clarence:
Evensong, FD is now an aged care, rather than a hospital, chaplain, but seems to somehow just walk into the ward and say 'hello, I'm FD, I'm a chaplain' and then has people telling him their life stories. I'll get him to fill me (or you) in on what the magic ingredient is.
I thought of FD immediately actually. That would be great. ![[Cool]](cool.gif) (Tho I suspect the magic ingredient might be something to do with personal character and suitability to the role and a comfortable "pastoral identity" - which I don't have: at least not yet!).
Cold calling aint easy when you're a noob. ![[Ultra confused]](graemlins/confused2.gif)
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a theological scrapbook
Posts: 9481 | From: Australia | Registered: Apr 2009
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fletcher christian
Mutinous Seadog
# 13919
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Posted
Just know when to take your leave. A little experience will help you pick up on the 'signs' and polite phrases used. If they're in a bed they can't walk away from you.
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'God is love insaturable, love impossible to describe'
Staretz Silouan
Posts: 5235 | From: a prefecture | Registered: Jul 2008
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Zacchaeus
Shipmate
# 14454
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Posted
I’ve met a few chaplains over the years and their standard opening seems to be something along the lines of:-
Hi ‘I’m x, I’m with the chaplaincy team, would you like to chat? Some say no, some say yes and then talk football the content of the conversation is up to the patient.
Posts: 1905 | From: the back of beyond | Registered: Jan 2009
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St Everild
Shipmate
# 3626
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Posted
Or possibly "Hi, I'm ...with the chaplaincy team, would you like some company?" or ..."How are you today?" or "May I visit you today?"
I dont know if this will work (Im usually visiting people I know in hospital) but it seems to me to provide opportunities for people to say "No" without offending the noob chaplain. And if they don't want to chat but would like some company they have the opportunity to say so. Don't underestimate the power of holding a hand.
And finally - you ought to know that I'm crap at this sort of thing...but the above is what I would say if I was doing what you are doing.
Posts: 1782 | From: Bethnei | Registered: Dec 2002
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