When thinking about chaplains, many people envision praying, providing sacred texts, performing weddings and funerals and providing spiritual guidance. While these are true of many chaplains, at Hendricks Regional Health, we are blessed to have a core of chaplains serving on our healthcare team.
Our chaplains provide spiritual, emotional, and psychological care to persons of all faith traditions and those who do not claim a faith tradition. While religiously prepared, a core competency of chaplains includes the skill and commitment to helping people connect to their own unique beliefs and practices that provide meaning and purpose in their lives.
Chaplains are in-house at the Danville Hospital every day and on-call 24/7 for both our hospital locations. They collaborate with all caregivers to complement the clinical skills and human caring they offer their patients. In addition, our chaplains support our associates whenever requested and facilitate several support groups that are open, free of charge, to members of the community.
Here are a few other ways our chaplains contribute to the quality care and patient experience at HRH:
- Advocates – for health, wellness, equality of access to resources, and individual rights and care.
- Coach – recognizing the gifts of others and knowing how to encourage others to be their best.
- Mediator – trained to be mediators for patients, their families, and staff to resolve conflicts peacefully.
- Supportive presence – when patients have no one left to turn to, chaplains can be a non-judgmental and caring friend to those who feel alone.
- System Navigators – often know the ins and outs of our health system and can guide others to find the resources they need.
Chaplains at Hendricks Regional Health are required to have master’s degree level education, special training in clinical pastoral education, and a minimum of 2.5 years of experience. Our chaplains have an average of 14 years of experience.
Our chaplains consider it a privilege to be available whenever needs and opportunities for service arise. They are never too busy, and always welcome calls and requests for collaboration and support.
