Meaningful Visitation in Hospitals and Retirement Homes
Photo by izusek / iStock License
This course is designed to empower pastoral leaders to be a vital presence to parishioners during times of failing health, crisis, and grief, specifically within a hospital or nursing facility environment.
Participants may expect to become more familiar with facility environments, to gain confidence in how to compassionately respond in times of crisis, and to recognize unique physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
Desired Outcomes
- Build confidence for those who regularly are called to visit hospitals and nursing homes so that the student can be reassuring and calming to the patient/resident.
- Learn how to react to various situations in hospitals and nursing homes to make the visit meaningful.
- Be able to use the tools needed to stay in touch with patient/resident and family.
Learning Experiences
- Week 1: Introductions and Course Prep
- Week 2: Ground Rules to Pastoral Care
- Week 3: Personal Experiences with or in Pastoral Care
- Week 4: Spiritual Care and Hospital/Nursing Home Protocol
- Week 5: Emergent and Crisis Visitation
- Week 6: A Time for Role Playing and Self Reflection
Required Reading
Please obtain your books before the course begins.
Kirkwood, Neville A. A Hospital Visitor’s Handbook (The Do’s and Don’ts of Hospital Visitation). New York: Morehouse Publishing, 2005. ISBN-13: 978-0819222008.
Nouwen, Henri J. M. The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society. New York: Doubleday Image Books, 1972. ISBN-13: 978-0385148030.
Dates and Details
When
Online meeting dates - webcam required:
Registration deadline
Fee
Contact
Facilitator(s)
Chaplain Adah Hutchcraft
Adah Hutchcraft
Rev. Adah Hutchcraft is a certified chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), and has served in professional chaplaincy since 2006.
Marcia Peddicord
Marcia Peddicord
Marcia Peddicord is a graduate of The Academy for Small Membership Church Ministries' Lay Training program, a Certified Lay Minister, and a pastoral care provider in her local hospital in rural Illinois.
Who Can Apply
Participants are expected to have:
- An interest in providing meaningful visitation to those in hospitals and nursing homes.
- A wish to promote a calm atmosphere for the patient/resident so that they feel at ease.
- A desire to feel more confident about entering a hospital and/or nursing home room, what to say and do, as well as how to react.