The services offered by Pastoral Care include, but are not limited to: pastoral counseling, crisis ministry, sacramental ministry, consultation, education, and support groups. These services are not restricted to patients only, but our services are offered to outpatients, staff and to the local community at large.

The Pastoral Care team includes two full-time chaplains and one part-time pediatric chaplain, who are also available by appointment to provide consultation and supportive counseling for staff during office hours. Additionally, volunteer chaplains are part of the team and make pastoral care visits to their assigned units weekly.

After office hours, a chaplain is available by beeper for emergency calls. If one of the staff chaplains is unavailable, the Hospital Operator will have the number of a volunteer chaplain designated as on-call. Through the Pastoral Care Department, Catholic and Episcopal priests can be contacted for administering sacraments to patients in emergency situations.

Patient referrals may be made through the Pastoral Care Office or directly with one of the chaplains. Continuing care nurses, nurse managers, physicians, etc., can make referrals to chaplains. If a nurse has a patient that he or she would like for the chaplain to visit on the following morning, they can send a Mis-O-Gram to the Pastoral Care Office.

Worship services are held each Sunday from 11 a.m.-11:30 a.m. in our All Faiths Chapel, which is located on the first floor of the hospital. The services are broadcast to patient rooms via closed-circuit television at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday on channel 9. The Chapel is always open to patients, visitors and staff for prayer and meditation.

When requested, the chaplains can conduct workshops for other departments in the hospital on death and dying, the spiritual dimension of patient care and other topics as requested.

The department coordinates visitation policies regarding visiting clergy in the hospital. Ministers presenting proper identification may visit their parishioners at any time on all areas unless the patient requests privacy.

The following are suggestions as to when to make a pastoral care referral:

	Patient requests a chaplain.
	Patient wants pastor, priest or rabbi notified of hospitalization.
	Patient requests prayer, communion, baptism or other religious rituals.
	Patient/family members has/have emotional and religious concerns about surgery.
	Patient is facing surgery involving disfigurement or loss of function.
	Patient is facing new diagnosis of life- threatening illness (cancer, HIV, dialysis, diabetes, etc.)
	Service MVA.
	Spiritual support for patient, family, and/or staff.
	Family member, friend or significant other grieving the death of a patient.
	Infant death.
	To interpret and explore the relationship between a person's illness, culture and the expression of spirituality.
	Patient has theological issues as it relates to his/her illness (i.e., angry with God).
	Staff needs pastoral support when sharing bad news with patients and families.
	Staff may need encouragement after dealing with a series of traumatic, stressful, grieving situations.
	Patient is non-compliant to treatment plan.
	Patient does not have strong family support system.
	Patient is dealing with stressful family and/or work situation.

While these are only suggestions for making referrals to Pastoral Care, please remember these are not the only times to call for a chaplain.

Pastoral Care

Monday through Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
Chaplain on call 24 hours a day
MCCG
1st Floor
478-633-1461
478-633-1000 after hours