Chaplains are here to offer spiritual [and] religious support for patients and families. What does it look like when you knock on the door of a patient who hasn't met a chaplain? One of my goals would be to introduce myself [and] make sure that they are aware that the hospital values not only their body [and] health, though that's very important, but that we also value their spiritual well-being. That can be very broad. Sometimes there is a very specific religious need. They might want a rabbi, they might want a priest; sometimes they just need a good listening ear, and they appreciate that being someone who is respectful of their faith or spirituality. For other folks, it is much more distinct. They want Communion; they want one of the sacraments that their faith offers, and so it varies. And finally, there are some people who would not call themselves religious or spiritual, but they are trying to make meaning out of the suffering that has overwhelmed them. We see ourselves as being very available as good listeners for folks who are struggling to figure out, "What does it mean that my life is on hold for the moment, and I'm stuck in a hospital bed?"[We do] a variety of things, and prayer is definitely a big one, often at the request of patients and families. Usually it is offered unless a patient has let me know that that's just not who they are in terms of their own background. I would offer to pray, and I would ask them what it was that they felt like they most needed. That would be our starting point.
