Lesson 18 ~ Chaplaincy Studies

Lesson 18 – Personal Spiritual Care ~ Beware of Burn-Out!

By:  Rev. Trent Murman, OSM, OSF

 

Look at your ministry. What are the stressor points? What is your week like? At this time I have very limited stressors.  My main goal is to complete seminary classes and achieve a Chaplaincy appointment with my intended goal to work with the Armed Forces Veterans.  Due to my background I feel this is how I could best serve my fellow man.  I have allotted much of my work week toward the seminary classes due to the fact this is a second vocation/journey in my life.  Getting away on a vacation at least twice a year and some time off, I try to do this at least once a month for a 3 day consecutive period, this has been a great reliever of stress.  Be sure to set up a covering clergyman/woman in advance to help you with these times of "Personal Spiritual Care".  Develop your spiritual care plan. Write a brief description of it.   My spiritual care plan follows closely a book written by Perry H. Biddle, Jr. "A Hospital Visitation Manual".  This manual covers all aspects of ministering to many diseases which the ministers may be confronted with both in and out of the hospital settings.  When I go into an acute care setting I do try to limit the visitation directly to the patient to five to ten minutes.  I do what I have to do including speaking with the patient [if possible].  Remembering you can always visit with the family in the acute care setting waiting room, this will help not disrupting the vital nursing care functions that need to be performed.  The "Hospital Chapel" is always available for your own use or the family may be reminded of the chapel if there is a need for solitude or private worshiping.  The chapel usually has pre-announced times of denominational services where Rabi's, Priests, Muslims and other Christian clergy may conduct their own services.  Always check in at the nurse's station before proceeding to a patient's room, it is only proper to do this no matter what part of the hospital you are visiting.   I do home visitations only if the patient is confined to his/her home and when directly asked by the patient or his/her family member to stop by.  It is only common courtesy to confirm your visitation the day before in case situations have changed.  Remember if you are to administer "Anointing" or "Absolution" this should be a private rite of passage between you, the patient and their God.  Hospital staff and even other family members should be excused from the patient's room to ensure their privacy.  The patient and his/her family places an enormous amount of faith/trust in the clergy.  This must be honored and kept in strict privacy so there is no break in that trust can never be questioned.  Spiritual care should be administered to all persons that request it, for the chaplain administers to all persons of all faiths.  And going back to what we discussed in lesson #1….Listen to your people….Chaplains are and need to be great listeners. 

GO IN PEACE