The National Association of Catholic Chaplains

Menu
  • Membership
      • Apply for Membership
      • Frequently-Asked Questions about Membership
      • Request Retired Membership
      • State Liaisons
      • Newest Members
      • Membership Directory
      • Member map
      • Celebrating Our Members’ 25-year Membership and Certification
      • In Memoriam: deceased NACC members
    • Close
  • Certification
    • Initial Board Certification
      • Board Certified Chaplain (BCC)
      • Certified Associate Chaplain (CAC)
      • Palliative Care and Hospice Advanced Certification (PCHAC)
      • VA Initial Board Certification
      • Recognition of Strategic Partners Board Certification
      • Newly Certified Chaplains
      • Close
    • Renewal of Certification
    • Certification Competencies & Procedures
      • Certification Competencies & Procedures
      • Important Background on NACC Certification Competencies
      • Professional Code of Ethics for Spiritual Care Professionals
      • Certification Commission
      • Certification Appeals Panel
      • Ethics Appeals Panel
      • Close
    • Mentors
    • Recognition of Strategic Partners Board Certification
    • Verifying Certification
    • Maintaining Certification in Retirement
    • Graduate Theological Programs
    • Close
  • Education Resources
      • 2023 Retreat
      • 2023 Webinar Series
      • Recorded webinars (2009-2022)
      • Calendar of Events
      • Graduate Theological Programs
      • CPE Programs
      • NACC Professional Networking Calls
      • Continuing Education Hour Requests – Guidelines and Forms
      • Ongoing Educational Opportunities
      • Local/Regional Gatherings & Events
      • Past Conferences (2004 – 2022)
      • Vision
    • Close
  • Resources
    • Antiracism Resources
    • Administrator Resources
    • Awareness Resources
    • Chaplaincy Care Resources
    • Coronavirus Resources & Updates
    • Job Listings
    • The Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling
    • Partners in Pastoral Care
    • Research
    • Specialty Care Resources
    • Spirituality and Prayer Resources
    • Spiritual Care Department Resources
    • Vision
    • Close
  • About NACC
    • About the NACC
      • Mission/Vision/Values
      • Constitution and ByLaws
      • Strategic Plan
      • History
      • Close
    • Annual Awards
    • Association Leadership
      • NACC Board of Directors
      • Committees, Commissions, and Panels
      • National Office Staff
      • Episcopal Advisory Council
      • Close
    • Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition (CPMC)
    • Choose Chaplaincy
    • Health Care Collaborators
    • NACC Merchandise
    • NACC Publications and Documents
      • Vision
      • NACC Now
      • Annual Reports & Financial Reviews
      • Documents and publications
      • NACC Blog
      • Close
    • Partners in Pastoral Care
    • Partners for Professional Excellence in Spiritual Care
    • Vision
    • Close
  • Choose Chaplaincy
  • Contact Us
      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    • Close
  • Donate Now
  • Member Login
Home » Vision » May-June 2020 » ‘Grief kits’ help assure families that loved ones in hospital are not alone

‘Grief kits’ help assure families that loved ones in hospital are not alone

By Nick Stewart

Due to COVID-19, hospital policies and care delivery have drastically changed. Many once-reliable resources of spiritual care have been stripped away. Gone are the days of the held hand, the gentle consolation of a hug, and even a whole face without a mask. Physical separation of loved ones during an illness removes an important healing resource.

These realities gave birth to the idea of grief kits, so that our spiritual care department could provide meaningful ways for patients and their loved ones to connect. The kits also proved useful resources for the caregiving team members while we chaplains offered our support.

On each unit, we have placed a small plastic tote that includes a battery-powered pillar candle for the clinical unit, a door sign, a sign for the nursing staff, Compassionate Presence certificates, and rose quartz hearts. The candle is lit at the nurses’ station during a death or when a patient is actively dying. The Compassionate Presence certificate is signed by members of the treatment team to tell the patient’s loved ones about the empathetic and intentional care provided by the team. The rose quartz heart, a symbol of unconditional love, fits in the palm of a hand and is given to each patient to remember the bond between them and their loved ones. All of these items intend to acknowledge that despite visitor restrictions, patients still do not die alone.

After a death, the chaplain retrieves the signed Compassionate Presence certificate and rose quartz heart. The chaplain then mails a packet to the loved ones with a letter explaining the contents, acknowledging the presence and care provided to the patient, and the importance of that patient and their life. The packet also contains a replica of the sign placed outside the patient’s room, the explanation of the rose quartz heart, a remembrance poem keepsake, and bereavement resources.

The chaplain calls to confirm a mailing address prior to sending. This serves as an opportunity to provide spiritual care to loved ones who might not have been present in the hospital, assuring that the chaplain still makes a connection and provides care and that the family still has a lasting memory of their loved one in the final moments of life.

Nick Stewart, BCC, is chaplain for Pediatrics and Women’s Services at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte, NC.

Vision-logo
Vol. 30, No. 3
May/June 2020

Coronavirus: The spiritual care response


Articles from early in pandemic still feed our minds and spirits – by David A. Lichter, Executive Director

‘Wounded healer’ label fits better than ‘hero’ – by John R. Mastalski

Hospital staff find ways to cope with stress of COVID – by Kathleen Kaskel

Coronavirus also changes prison ministry – by David Lewellen, Vision editor (interview with Fr. George Williams, SJ)

Who else faced this kind of volatility and uncertainty? The apostles. – by Ruth Jandeska

Remote pastoral care: From St. Paul to telechaplaincy – by John Gillman

Moment of grace keeps chaplain going in pandemic – by Jim Willsey

Grief kits help assure families that loved ones in hospital are not alone – by Nick Stewart

Letting go of the daffodils – by Anne Millington

Ministry by phone offers connection to nursing home residents – by Rick Nash

Fear and faith in response to the coronavirus – by Nicholas Perkins

COVID recovery: A member’s story – by Bridget Deegan-Krause

In the midst of pandemic, the normal remains – by Anne Windholz

Contemplating death on Easter Monday in the time of COVID – by John Gillman

Stretching ourselves includes adapting to online funerals – by Maggie Finley

COVID-19 and Catholic social teaching: Choose life – by Dan Lunney

At this time, numbness is nature’s gift to us – by Anne Millington

National Association of Catholic Chaplains
4915 S. Howell Avenue, Suite 501
Milwaukee, WI 53207
Get Directions

Phone: (414) 483-4898
Fax: (414) 483-6712
Email: info@nacc.org

Our office hours
Mon-Thur 8:00am – 5:00pm Central Time
Friday 8:00am – 12 Noon
Sat-Sun closed

Job Listings

Current job opportunities for chaplains, priests, CPE residents, supervisors, directors of pastoral care, managers, mission directors, and more.

Job Listings

Free Publications

Don’t miss the latest news, subscribe to our newsletter today! You don’t have to be a member to subscribe.

Donate Now

Learn more about making a tax-deductible donation to NACC.

Donate Now

Connect with us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
© 1997 - 2023 National Association of Catholic Chaplains - Sitemap

Built by Westwords