Spiritual Health Information for Ministers or Congregational Representatives and Denominational Visitors
The Island Health Spiritual Health program appreciates the many ways that Spiritual Care in our facilities is enhanced by the presence of you, the Community Clergy, Faith Leaders, and Denominational Visitors Check out our web site: http://www.viha.ca/spiritual_care/ 2 Last revised April 2017
Spiritual Health Vision Statement A health care environment where spiritual and religious care, comfort and hope are integrated into the healing journey holistic health care for the whole person. Mission Statement We contribute to Island Health s mission of serving and involving the people of the islands to maintain and improve health. Spiritual Health promotes spiritual wellbeing of individuals, families, staff and communities by providing professional support and through linkages with the community faith groups. 3
Glossary SHP Spiritual Health Practitioner (former title: Hospital Chaplain) Island Health sites and abbreviations: RJH Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria VGH Victoria General Hospital, Victoria JDFH The Juan de Fuca Hospitals: GG Glengarry Hospital, Victoria AB Aberdeen Hospital, Victoria MT Mt. Tolmie Hospital, Victoria PR Priory Hospital (Hiscock Unit), Langford SPH Saanich Peninsula Hospital, Saanichton CDH Cowichan District Hospital NRGH Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, Nanaimo DP Dufferin Place, Nanaimo WCGH West Coast General Hospital, Port Alberni GRH Gorge Road Hospital LMH Lady Minto Hospital, SaltSpring Island Worship Definitions HC Holy Communion RC Roman Catholic UC United Church EW Ecumenical worship service (suitable for members of most Christian denominations) 4
RJH VGH JDFH Island Health Spiritual Health Staff Site Name Location Telephone Lorrie Brooks, Manager, Spiritual Health 3rd Floor ABH 250-519-7700 Ext 36008 Arthur Menu, Advanced Practice Leader Peter Shurvin and Arthur Menu, SHPs Ray MacDonald, SHP Arthur Menu (for volunteer support) 2828 Nanaimo St, Victoria 250-370-5733 EMP 173 250-370-8207 N 335 250-727-4278 250-370-5733 SPH Chapel 250-544-7676 ext. 23322 CDH Marnie Roper SHP Reception area near 250-737-2030 ext 44289 NRGH, DP WCGH Spiritual Health Darren Colyn, SHP Les Schrader, Spiritual Heath Assistant entrance Main lobby near gift shop 250-755-7691 ext. 54022 250-731-1370 The role of staff SHPs in Island Health is to see that people s spiritual and religious needs are recognized and responded to in appropriate ways. The scope of the SHPs includes working closely with all health caregivers, giving direct care to patients, family members and hospital staff, and facilitating the ministry of spiritual care for faith communities. It is also our goal to raise awareness within Island Health of the importance of caring for the human spirit. 5
Chapel Services Regular ecumenical /interdenominational (EW) and denominational chapel services are held at the following sites. RJH Pemberton Chapel is always open GRH Sunday, 2nd Floor Unit 2:30 pm EW VGH Multifaith Prayer Rm is always open, North Tower 3rd floor GG Sunday, Chandler Main 2:30 pm EW Dining Rm Tuesday or Wednesday, Chandler Main Dining Rm 10:30 am Every Tuesday EW 4th Wednesday is RC Mass AB Every Sunday in 3:00 pm EW Lansdowne Main Dining Rm MT Sunday, Main Dining Rm 3:00 pm EW 2nd Wednesday 10:30 am Anglican HC PR Sunday, Main Dining Rm 3:00 pm EW 1st Tuesday 10:30 am Anglican/UC HC SPH Thursday, Chapel 10:45 am EW Hymn Sing Sunday, Chapel 2;30 pm EW 2nd Tuesday, Chapel 2:00 pm Anglican HC Last Friday, Chapel 11:00 am RC Mass LMH Sunday, ECU Lounge 1:30 pm EW DP 1st Friday, Dining Area 10:30 am RC Mass 3rd Thursday, Dining 10:30 am Anglican HC Area 4th Wednesday, Dining Area 10:30 am EW Last Sunday of month. 2:00 pm EW Dining Area 6
Location of Patients/Residents Lists of patients who have requested spiritual care from a specific faith group are kept in files located at the following sites in the indicated areas along with sheets for denominational visitors to sign in. A denominational visitor may access only the information in the file that is labelled with the name of his/her faith community, or a file that has a generic label inclusive of his/her faith community (for example, Christian or Other ). RJH Community Visitors Office, DT1005 VGH Community Visitors Office N 332 PR SPH Volunteer Resources Sign-in Room SHPs Office - entrance to ECU CDH Front Reception Area When You Visit The Hospital Visiting Hours We do not have limited visiting hours at our hospitals. In some situations, staff may limit the number of visitors and length of visits based on patient or unit needs. When planning to visit someone, we advise you to call the Unit and ask when would be a good time to visit. It is best not to visit patients in acute care or residents in residential care facilities before mid-morning, as this is the time when many of them will be receiving personal care. Criminal Record Check It is recommended that faith communities obtain Criminal Record Checks for their volunteers (this would include hospital visitors) who visit children or vulnerable adults. 7
Sign-in It is important to us and to Island Health that you sign in on the sign-in sheets provided. These are kept together with the patient religion lists. It is important for hospital accreditation, and to assist Spiritual Health in obtaining needed office space for community clergy and visitors. Please note that patient lists are extremely confidential, and must not be removed. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact any of the SHPs. Parking Parking in the visitor parking lots on all sites is free for community clergy and denominational visitors who are visiting on behalf of their faith community, and who have been oriented and registered with Island Health Spiritual Health. You may apply for the necessary parking passes at the time of your orientation. These parking passes are not valid for metered parking or for the Parkade at RJH. ID Badges For security purposes official Island Health Identification badges must be worn at all times when you are visiting in the hospital. The badge also identifies you as a caregiver for patients and family, and part of the caregiver team. Confidentiality Please remember that what you see or hear while in the facility you are visiting, must stay in that facility. If, during the course of your visit, a patient speaks to you about any suicidal ideation (thoughts of committing suicide, thoughts of possible means of suicide), it is legally and morally imperative for you to let the person know that you will have to pass this information along to their health care staff. And then please do so. It is the responsibility of the hospital staff to care for the safety of their patients and to obtain appropriate help for them. 8
Infection Control Please do not visit in the hospital if you have any infections, such as colds, flu, boils, fevers or rashes, which might be transmitted to patients. Update immunizations regularly. Stay informed about potential risks by reading infection control announcements posted in public places. During the designated Flu Season (usually Oct Apr) Island Health requires all staff, volunteers and visitors either to have had the flu vaccination or wear a mask while in the facility. Six steps to proper hand washing: 1. Warm-to-hot running water washes germs down the drain 2. Soap lather 3. Friction scrub the back of your fingernails against the palms of your hands; then clean under your nails. Rub hands together for at least 30 seconds. 4. Rinse hands under warm running water 5. Dry hands with a towel 6. Using the towel, turn off water faucet Guidelines Island Health, through its staff SHPs, wishes to work in cooperation with the community to ensure that while in hospital patients and family are not cut off from their religious and spiritual support systems, but have access to them for presence, prayers and appropriate pastoral care. When visiting, the following hospital guidelines are to be followed. 1. Your purpose here is to visit people from your own congregation or faith group. It is not appropriate to initiate visiting with other patients, to evangelize or to promote your 9
own agenda. Difficulties in this regard will be reported to Spiritual Health and will be dealt with immediately. This may result in a loss of your status as a registered clergy or denominational visitor. 2. We encourage you to provide devotional material for your members. It is inappropriate to leave literature around the hospital or give copies to other patients. Reading material of a religious nature for the hospital in general must be approved by Spiritual Health. 3. If you are uncomfortable with entering a critical care area, such as the Intensive Care areas, Burn Unit, Cardiac Care Unit or Cardiovascular Unit or any other area of the hospital, please page a SHP through the switchboard. 4. Some patients have conditions that require visitors to wear gloves, masks or gowns, or all three. If that is the case, there will be a sign on the door telling visitors what they must put on. There may be a supply of such apparel near the door. 5. Honour the hospital staff in their work and try not to get in the way. You can always return later, if need be. Hospital Visiting Suggestions These are some tips for visiting people in hospital which most of us already use. They are condensed from a paper by Katherine Lawson, and intended for nurses, but certainly are applicable to anyone working with hospital patients/residents. People in hospital spend all day listening to nurses, doctors, therapists and TV. Visitors are in the unique position of being able to let the patients do the talking through Active Listening. 1. Face the person squarely This implies I am available to you. 2. Adopt an open posture Crossing one s legs or arms indicates less involvement, and is perceived as more defensive. 3. Lean towards the person 10
People involved in serious conversation tend to lean in; it shows involvement and reduces anxiety. 4. Keep good eye contact Look at the person while he or she is speaking. 5. Try to be at eye level with the person It s psychologically much easier to talk with someone on the same level. Avoid standing over the person. Most rooms have a chair; if not, borrow one. 6. Concentrate on the person Our attention should be on the person, not the person s problems. We are there to visit a person, not a problem. 7. Adopt a similar body posture This is known as postural echo, and it happens all the time between good friends. But don t lie down in the next bed! 8. Try to be relaxed Ignore the hospital setting, and try to create the relaxed pace we need to listen and respond fully. When we re too tense, we tend to jump in with a response whenever the person pauses. 9. Touch the person We can t catch a broken hip or leukemia from someone else. But first make sure they are okay with being touched. 10. Use humour It helps in communicating with others to share the same sense of humour. If we can be spontaneous it encourages people to use their sense of humour too. Go easy on anyone with recent abdominal stitches! 11
In You, O Lord, I place my trust And pray that I may share the special blessing of Your love The comfort of Your care... To You, O Lord, I lift my heart And hope that I may find Your guiding light along my path Wherever it may wind... From You, O Lord, may I receive Your most abundant grace That I may have the strength to meet Whatever trials I face... Of You, O Lord, I ask the help To do things I must, And wisdom, Lord, to always say, In You, I place my trust. HADIN MARSHALL 12