Pastoral Care

“Patients have a fundamental right to considerate care that safeguards their personal dignity and respects their cultural, psychosocial, and spiritual values.” (JCAHO – Joint Committee on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 1998) At Saint Francis Hospital, these fundamental patient rights are addressed in a team approach dedicated to preserving and enhancing the integrity, uniqueness, and dignity of each individual.

In the Franciscan tradition, Saint Francis Hospital and, specifically, the Pastoral Care staff, is committed to minister as instruments of the Lord’s peace in life: where there is injury, hatred, doubt, despair, and darkness, to bring pardon, faith, hope, and light.
Religious beliefs and practices are interwoven with cultural contexts. We help each individual remember the healing, sustaining, guiding, and reconciling power of his or her own religious faith and spirituality.

We provide spiritual and emotional support through:

• Empathetic Listening
• Spiritual Assessment
• Daily Mass, Blessings and Sacraments
• Communication with Caregivers
• Participation in Interdisciplinary Education
• Assistance to Patients and Families in Considering Health Care Proxies and Other Advance Directives
• Participation on Ethics Committee, Institutional Review Boards, etc., as appropriate
• Assistance with Multicultural Traditions and their impact on clinical treatment and care
• Education of Community Religious Representatives Regarding Saint Francis Hospital’s Procedures for Effective Visitation

Pastoral Care