Author: scblair

Problems With the POLST? Examining the moral questions POLST raises

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“I talked with the Diocese and they told me not to sign it.”

This came from the husband of a hospice patient who was actively dying at the time, regarding the POLST or Physician’s Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment. Both were strong Catholics and she was a patient at a Catholic facility. Prior to this discussion I had spoken with their daughter about the POLST as he had some questions about it and advanced directives in general. I had provided some information regarding Catholic views on end of life care and decisions and hoped to follow up this visit. As I talked with him I was taken aback, because in my own understanding the POLST could not only reflect one’s intention to refuse certain care at end-of-life, but also to reinforce that one wanted full measures to be taken to prolong life if that was their wish. It seemed like an overreaction to be told not to sign it at all.

While I was more familiar with other kinds of advance directive (AD) forms I was less acquainted with the POLST, so I decided to look and see what the fuss was about.*** Continue reading →

Crossing Divides: Can an Atheist be a Chaplain?

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Can an Atheist be a chaplain?

It may seem like a ridiculous question, I know. However Great Britain recently named its first “Non-Religious Pastoral Carer” within its national health system. This sparked debate about whether or not it’s even possible for a non-religious person could technically be a “chaplain” given that the title itself has an obvious religious connotation.

While the argument is interesting, I don’t find it very helpful though. It becomes an argument about semantics and definitions. But frame the question this way and I think it gets interesting: Can someone of one faith provide spiritual support to another of a different faith, or of no faith at all? Put it that way and I think you are getting to a core question for those serving in Chaplaincy already, as well as those planning for ministry. Continue reading →

Dyed, fried, laid to the side…and certified!

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I passed my certification review on Monday! As I expected, it was nothing like what I expected. You can’t study for a review where three people can ask you anything they want for an hour.

Very thankful for my certification team and all your concerns, well-wishes and prayers!

Verbatim: Ms. F, “Maybe it’s not so bad”

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(watch the video above before you read on: it’s funny, creative and has cute doggies)

I wanted to share my most recent verbatim which I’m also using for my certification. It’s in a bit of a different format and is definitely longer than most of my posts. Read on and I hope you benefit from it. You’ll catch why I included the video at the end of the paper. Continue reading →

My Own Chaplain Certification Process

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I haven’t been updating this nearly as much as I would’ve liked. One reason for that has been my own process of becoming a Board Certified Counselor through CPSP has taken many twists and turns.  Continue reading →

“What do these stones mean to you?” Reflections on Joshua 4

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The following is from a remembrance service I did at a facility some years ago. At the end of the service we passed out stones to the families and staff in attendance. I hope you enjoy it.

…Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” Continue reading →

New White Paper and Webinar on Spirituality & Patient Experience: Free resouces

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From the HealthCare Chaplaincy Network:

The Beryl Institute and HealthCare Chaplaincy Network (HCCN), announce “The Critical Role of Spirituality in Patient Experience,” a new white paper that explores the emerging focus of spiritual care and chaplaincy in patient experience excellence and provides a core set of central themes and concepts for organizations to consider regarding spiritual care.
The white paper engages perspectives and practices of eight leading contributors and organizations across the spectrum of chaplaincy and spirituality in healthcare as they look to address and engage in this as a critical topic for action.
Also included is a special introduction from HCCN’s Rev. George Handzo, one of the foremost authorities in the field.
 Download the white paper for free. After you fill in the required fields on the recipient information form, input promo code HCCN_WP and click on Apply. You will receive a confirmation and link to download at your email address.

Gerald May: The Chaplain as Physician

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I’ve been reading the excellent book Simply Sane by Dr. Gerald May, primarily for my personal benefit but secondarily for professional benefit. It wasn’t recommended to me by anyone, and I honestly can’t remember how I stumbled upon it, but I’m glad I did.

Dr. Gerald May

It’s an excellent book for those doing pastoral care as well as teachers and educators. I recently read a passage that struck me as to how well it spoke to the position that many Chaplains find themselves in: wondering what to do.

I had an older woman come on service a few days ago who appeared to be greatly depressed. When I introduced myself and gave the usual opening “how are you today?”, her response was “I want to die. Can you give me a shot?” Continue reading →

David Mills: Death Dignified by Christ

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I’ve been trying to write a post about the “death with dignity” movement, but found it very difficult to write something that didn’t turn into a book.

While there has been a great deal of discussion about the rightness or wrongness of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, I’ve found less discussion about what “dignity” means in this context. I found this post by David Mills and wanted to share them in regards to what it might mean for a Christian to die with dignity. The biggest takeaway may be that while one side sees neediness, exposure and helplessness as antithetical to human dignity, Mills sees these at the very heart of Jesus’ own death. His attitude towards the indignities placed upon Him actually made His death more dignified. It’s a lesson we can take away as we seek to conform to Christ.

He was a dignified man suffering all the embarrassing ways cheerful young women the age of his granddaughter deal with the body’s failure as cancer begins shutting down the organs. Dying in a hospice, you lose all rights to modesty as you lose control of your body.
Continue reading →

A. James Rudin: Clergy education for end-of-life questions inadequate

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Rabbi A. James Rudin recently wrote about the growing need for clergy of all faiths to be prepared to help those dealing with tough choices related to end of life care. He asserts that often the questions being asked at the bedside of the dying are not as much related to deep metaphysical questions but are much more pragmatic and ethical:

Rather, [the] questions, usually asked in a hospital room, go like this. “My beloved family member is gravely ill. The doctors are recommending some extraordinary and complex medical treatments. I am confused and I am being asked to make a decision. As my spiritual leader, please tell me, what should I do?”

Unfortunately many clergy are not provided much opportunity for education in medical ethics and how it relates to their particular faith. Some denominations require some clinical pastoral education which, depending on the training center, would provide invaluable insights into the day-to-day decisions encountered in trauma units and hospices. But this represents only a very small group of those in ministry training, and an even smaller percentage of those currently in ministry. Other seminaries offer courses in medical ethics, but these are almost always elective. Because of these deficits, Rudin concludes:

Medical science and technology will move forward with or without the religious community. Major decisions about health care in the U.S., including the staggering question of withdrawing and withholding life support systems from desperately ill or comatose patients, will be made with or without the “benefit of clergy.”

If the best thinkers within our faith communities do not address these issues in a thoughtful and informed way, others will decide for us, and that would be an abdication of religious leadership. If that happens, rabbis, priests, pastors and imams will have no one to blame but themselves, and worst of all, desperately ill patients and their troubled families will be the losers.

What has been your experience as a minister or as a chaplain? Did you have adequate training to help others cope with complex end of life issues?