The Wall Street Journal Features
HealthCare Chaplaincy

	Chaplain Kimberli Lile helped Katherine Hynes deal with some of her fears during treatment for cancer.

“Chaplains are coming into the mainstream of patient care, as new research shows positive spiritual guidance and discussion can help improve a patient's medical outcome,” wrote Wall Street Journal reporter Laura Landro in a December 6th front-page article in the “Personal Journal” section entitled “Bigger Roles for Chaplains on Patient Medical Teams.” 

The article also tells how chaplain the Rev. Kimberli Lile helped bring meaning and comfort to patient Katherine Hynes, who asked for Kim’s help during treatment for cancer at North Shore University Hospital

A second article ran in the Journal’s Health Blog – “Informed Patient: Bringing Spirituality to Medicine.”

Both articles showcase our chaplains’ singular contributions to patient care as well as our new project, funded by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, to grow the field of chaplaincy research in palliative care.

Reporter Landro called upon HealthCare Chaplaincy as a key resource both for information and for referrals to other experts.

The article points out that “studies indicate that chaplain visits can result in less patient anxiety, shorter hospital stays and higher satisfaction.”

The lead article quotes HCC president and CEO the Rev. Walter J. Smith, S.J., who says, “Every dimension of health care has to be accountable. Creating a strong research foundation of what chaplains do in the clinical setting will mark the coming of age of health-care chaplaincy as a profession.”

Read the Wall Street Journal articles here.

Announcing the New Program to Enhance
Spiritual Caregiving Skills

For Volunteers in Hospitals, Hospices, and Rehabilitation
and Skilled Nursing Care Facilities

Many people volunteer their time to provide emotional, spiritual and religious support and comfort to patients and families under the supervision of a professional chaplain.

Now volunteers can become more skilled thanks to HealthCare Chaplaincy’s new experiential learning program leading to the Certificate in Skills Enhancement for Spiritual Caregivers.

By completing one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education through HealthCare Chaplaincy, volunteers will learn through hands-on practice, clinical supervision and academic study how to listen to and attend to patients more effectively, including how to engage patients and their loved ones, establish rapport and maintain eye contact, pay attention and respond to both verbal and non-verbal communications, better understand what they are observing during pastoral encounters, and how they can best support the work of the chaplains and clergy with whom they collaborate in the spiritual care of patients and families.

Also they will expand their practical knowledge about grief and bereavement, health care decision-making, family support, conflict resolution, and cultural and religious diversity.

About the Certificate program:

• HealthCare Chaplaincy is accredited by and our Educational Supervisors are certified by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education.
• The program involves 300 hours of supervised direct patient care (“learning by doing”) in a hospital setting and 100 hours of classroom work, study, interpersonal growth seminars and peer and faculty supervision, which accounts for approximately 20 hours a week.
• The spring 2012 semester runs from the end of January/start of February through May at a number of metro New York institutions: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Medical Center, North Shore University Hospital, New York Hospital Queens, NYU Langone Medical Center, St. John’s Riverside Hospital, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center.
• Tuition is $850.

Applications are being accepted for the Spring 2012 course here.

For more information, please contact:

Registrar
HealthCare Chaplaincy,
307 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022-1505
(212) 644-1111, ext. 219
ksabra@healthcarechaplaincy.org

Now Available: Call for Proposals to Grow the Field of Chaplaincy Research in Palliative Care

Coping With Grief and the Holidays

At any time of the year, the loss of a loved one leaves a hole that can’t be filled. But the holidays only compound the problem.

During the holidays, grief sets the agenda.

Everything conspires to remind us of our grief.

The radio plays “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” But it can be the loneliest, most fearful, most alienating time as well.

“There’ll be much mistletoeing and hearts will be glowing when loved ones are near…”

But what if they’re not near? 

As Joni Mitchell puts it: “The bed’s too big. The frying pan’s too wide.”

To help those who are grieving cope with the holidays, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center held a panel discussion on November 29th on the subject of “Grief and the Holidays.” Discussion centered around the competing feelings of the need to grieve and the pressure to celebrate. 

The Rev. Jill Bowden of HealthCare Chaplaincy and director of chaplaincy service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering was a participant and a panelist.

Jill was moved by the total willingness of those who attended to be vulnerable and to share their pain.  “People came to be in community. To find a place where they would not be alone with their grief, where they would be encouraged to express their emotions – the good, the bad, even things they might have felt ashamed to express in other settings.”

Wendy Lichtenthal, the psychotherapist on the panel, recognized the courage that it took for people to come to a gathering about grieving and holiday time, with all its expectations of “goodness and light.”
There were tears, laughter and many thanks from the many attendees.

Here are links to helpful resources for coping with grief and the holidays:

http://www.mskcc.org/multimedia/coping-grief-around-holidays

http://www.missfoundation.org

http://www.centerforloss.com

Meet Extraordinary Patient Care Honoree
Maryellen Conk

A highlight of our 50th Anniversary Gala on November 3rd was the celebration of patient care honorees – remarkable men and women who provide extraordinary care for their patients. All were chosen by their peers at the partner institutions where HealthCare Chaplaincy manages, staffs, and operates board certified chaplaincy services.

HealthCare Chaplaincy Today is pleased to profile one honoree in each issue.

Here’s what her colleagues say about Maryellen Conk, ER Greeter, Patient Representative, Lawrence Hospital Center.

“Maryellen, as the Service Excellence Representative at Lawrence Hospital Center, you tirelessly support the whole organization as it strives to meet the needs and expectations of patients and families.

“On any given day you seem to be everywhere! 

“When hurricane winds blew, you were serving behind the counter in the cafeteria.

“When the winds of grief blew over a patient whose aged mother unexpectedly died 500 miles away, you brought roses to her bedside.

“Maryellen: you know what it means to care for the whole person, and you do it with elegance and generosity."

Editor’s note: All of us here at HealthCare Chaplaincy wish you and yours good health and happiness at this holiday season and for the new year. The next issue of HealthCare Chaplaincy Today will publish in mid-January.

Follow us and join the conversations on spirit –centered palliative care.