Pay more attention to the powerful force of empathy – by Mary T. Tracy
What if we treated our empathy with the respect that we afford grief? Grief can be described as a powerful river that threatens to overflow its banks when we ignore it – or an ocean that threatens to drown us when we wallow in it. Either extreme – ignoring or losing ourselves in grief – can make an already difficult process more painful, complicated, and disorienting…(Read more)

NACC adjusts Strategic Plan to account for tumultuous times – by Jack Conrad
The last few years have been extremely difficult in so many ways for all of us, but certainly for the NACC staff and board. We are into our third year of COVID-19 and all of its implications. We were happy for David Lichter when he announced his retirement. His legacy is a large one. However, over the past year this required the board to focus on searching for a new executive director. We were so happy to find Erica Cohen Moore, who is bringing great excitement and energy into NACC…(Read more)

What do nurses need to know about chaplaincy? – by Michele Le Doux Sakurai
As I headed to the last room at the end of the hall, I was stopped by the nurse. “That patient is a pastor and has had pastors and parishioners in and out all day. He is well supported and won’t need a chaplain.” It was late in the day, and I decided to wait…(Read more)

Moms’ reluctance to let dying children go forces tough reflections – by Jim Manzardo
Over the past decade or so, I have learned to take a both/and world view, seeing mostly gray, and consequently I become more easily frustrated with black-and-white thinking in others.
But sometimes I still catch myself doing the same thing. I’m thinking of four similar cases in the PICU, in which parents’ theological perspectives stirred some angst in me…(Read more)

Book describes constructive uses of confrontation in spiritual care – Book review of Confrontation in Spiritual Care: an Anthology for Clinical Caregivers
The purpose of this timely collection of essays by spiritual care experts is to “illustrate how confrontation can be used in healthcare and its wider culture.” The editors have assembled the contributions of fourteen authors who share their wisdom on the benefits of confrontation in various spiritual care settings…(Read more)

Simple chaplain interventions make a measurable difference – by Marty Folan, BCC, MPS
Chaplains play an essential role in the healing of patients. But anyone outside the ministry, including administrators, will ask, “What do chaplains do with patients?”
While most other healthcare workers provide meds, take tests and readings, poke, prod, and wheel them around, a chaplain’s primary duty is to enter into the suffering, pain, despair, hopelessness, and, sometimes, joy of a patient’s experience and be with them…(Read more)

PTSD at end of life requires extra thought and compassion – by Rev. Alejandro De Jesus
Jim was a 72-year old veteran admitted to the Community Living Center from a nursing home. He served in the Army for four years, post-Korea. Afflicted with advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), he used an electric wheelchair and communicated through electronic devices. He also presented with depression due to PTSD. He had no history of alcohol or substance abuse. He was Roman Catholic…(Read more)

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