Health care provision has recently seen a marked increase of interest in holistic patient care. As part of this move, spiritual welfare is now recognized as being of key importance in promoting a sense of well-being in all patients, families, and staff.
Written by an experienced hospital chaplain, Spiritual Aspects of Health Care provides you with a comprehensive guide to meeting the spiritual and religious needs of all your patients. An initial introduction to the nature of spiritual care is followed by a specific section on the career as a resource, covering self-knowledge, skill development, and the interaction involved in the caring relationship. Common patient responses to illness, pain, loss, and recovery are then discussed. The final section provides you with a comprehensive summary guide to enable you to meet the spiritual needs of any individual.
Features
Facilitates the provision of holistic care through working relationships
Practical presentation of general principles of spiritual care
Differentiates between religious and spiritual needs within a multifaith society
Provides further reading
Includes questions (for discussions, workshops, essays)
Spiritual Aspects of Health Care is an invaluable learning aid and reference book for all professional health care staff in the hospital, community and hospice setting, including nurses, chaplains, paramedics, therapists, and medical staff, as well as students.
David J. Stoter is a minister with thirty years of experience in hospital chaplaincy work. He continues his involvement with the associations, trusts, and centres that he founded to serve bereaved relatives of all faiths. Currently, he is a Trustee and Council Member of Sue Ryder Care with a special responsibility for spiritual care.
"There are numerous examples (here) to illustrate the difficulties with communication where grief and anger often combine. Medical and nursing staff sometimes find great difficulty in knowing how to respond to these situations and it is to be hoped that this book will find its way to bookshelves of all grades of staff committed to caring for the sick and the dying."
--E. M. Symonds, Dean of the Medical School, Nottingham