Chaplaincy and spiritual care is provided in healthcare organizations ranging from hospitals to nursing facilities, retirement centers, and hospices and palliative care facilities. Research, educational materials and other resources for chaplains in healthcare settings are available on the Transforming Chaplaincy website. A 2019 article on the training of healthcare chaplains gives an excellent overview of the training healthcare chaplains have received in the past, today, and may receive in the future. Other resources of interest include the following. If you’ve got more resources you think we should include on this sector, let us know at info@chaplaincyinnovation.org.
Healthcare
Association of Professional Chaplains
While APC is the professional organization for chaplains in any sector, the majority of its members work within healthcare and, therefore, most resources focus on that setting.
APC provides a wealth of resources, both for members and for non-members. These include, as listed by the APC, the following:
- Links to websites featuring chaplaincy and related organizations, information and tools.
- For Administrators is designed to assist administrators and department directors with tools for planning and implementing effective chaplaincy care programs in specialized ministry settings.
- Program Development offers tools such as job descriptions and policy samples to aid in establishing or managing the chaplaincy service in your institution.
- Reading Room is a library of articles and important documents on a variety of topics of interest to chaplains.
- Worship Folder provides a collection of memorial services, prayers and litanies that APC members have prepared for significant events and crises.
- Idea Box is a source for creative ideas and solutions that can help in the day-to-day work of a professional chaplain.
- Spiritual/FaithResources is the place to find and contribute resources and examples of chaplaincy care to persons of a specific faith group, such as dietary needs, traditions, holidays, observances, etc. that might require special accommodations or which chaplains may wish to share with staff.
CIL resources on healthcare spiritual care
Cate Michelle Desjardins and Nina Redl, eds., In Their Own Words: Stories of Chaplains’ Creativity, Courage, and Compassion during the Early Pandemic (Transforming Chaplaincy, 2022)
Executive perspectives on spiritual care in healthcare
GWISH Global Network for Spirituality and Health
GNSAH was formed to enhance the provision of high quality comprehensive and compassionate care to patients and families globally through the integration of spirituality into health systems. The role of this network is to provide a way members can work together to more fully integrate spiritual care, including training, service delivery, and standards into health systems.