Role of a chaplain

The chaplain in a hospital setting is part and parcel of the health care team whose purpose is to provide HOLISTIC CARE for staff, patients and their families.  ‘HOLISTIC CARE’ is concerned with the whole person and includes not only a person’s physical health but also their social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

Chaplains work collectively and collaboratively alongside other health care professionals to provide psycho-social-spiritual services for patients and their families. 

They need to give feedback on their findings and therapy sessions to the rest of the team. A chaplain provides counselling services related to problems/issues such as fear of death, guilt, and un-forgiveness. They assist patients to cope with the psychological, social and spiritual aspects of their illnesses and difficulties arising from them. They minister to patients who need or desire to be ministered to and work closely with the family and other for their own healing.