Part 1 Sacramental Ministry
a) Administering the Sacraments to patients and staff
b) Providing liturgy for patients and staff
c) Praying with patients
d) Arranging and conducting funeral services in the hospital mortuary
Part 2 Non Sacramental Ministry
a) Helping patients cope with pain and suffering
b) Assisting any patients undergoing fears and anxieties resulting from illness
c) Counselling patients about personal and family problems
d) Visiting the patients before surgery and at other times of stress, and visiting patients at least once a week
e) Helping patients face death
f) Bereavement Counselling
g) Meeting patients' relatives and helping them
h) Counselling staff, as may be appropriate, with their personal and family problems
I) In teaching hospitals, contributing to the training and
education of student nurses
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All chaplains must give evidence of their personal, theological, and professional ability to minister effectively as Healthcare Chaplains in the light of section A
1. Personal Competence
Chaplains are expected:
a) to exhibit self-knowledge to a degree that permits pastoral care to be offered within the context of their strengths and limitations
b) to be self-reflective persons, well grounded in their relationship with God, self, and others
c) to be emotionally mature persons who are capable of compassionate ministry
d) to intentionally build peer relationships for the purpose of support, confrontation and clarification
e) to be aware of, and articulate, how their feelings, attitudes, values and assumptions affect their ministry
f) to exhibit personal integrity, a clear sense of their personal identity and an ability to relate to others
g) to function effectively under stress, cope with crisis
situations and respond creatively to a multiplicity of challenges
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2. Theological Competence
Chaplains are expected:
a) to articulate a pastoral theology that is both contemporary and functional
b) to be competent in reflecting theologically and facilitating that process in others
c) to have a basic understanding of the theology, ecclesiology and practices of other faith groups
d) to give evidence of understanding current theological and spiritual issues that confront chaplains
e) to demonstrate an ability to articulate medical/moral is sues
3. Professional Competence
Chaplains are expected to demonstrate competence in the skills of:
a. Pastoral Care
i) to use spiritual assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation in the healthcare setting
ii) to demonstrate an ability to understand and help others discover meaning in the experience of suffering, grief and loss
iii) to provide intensive and extensive pastoral care to persons and groups in various life situations and crisis circumstances
iv) to integrate pastoral theology and pastoral practice
v) to assist ad support others in the application of values in their decision making
b. Human Relations
I) to communicate effectively through active listening and responding
ii) to intervene sensitively in chronic and acute situations
iii) to initiate, deepen and terminate pastoral relationships
c. Leadership
I) to utilize pastoral perspective and competence in a variety of functions such as worship, teaching, administration and team building
ii) to utilize an understanding of religious heritage, theological value and behavioral sciences in facilitation of decision making
d. Professional Accountability
I) to give evidence of understanding the operational systems in the healthcare setting
ii) to function as an integral member of an interdisciplinary team
iii) to communicate with other disciplines through use of referral systems
iv) to be willing to attend educational courses provided in local
areas
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1. At least one year full time theological qualification with certificate or some other qualification which, in the opinion of the Healthcare Chaplaincy Board, is equivalent
and
2. The successful completion of at least three units of C.P.E. in an accredited training centre, or of some other pastoral programme which in the opinion of the Healthcare Chaplaincy Board offers an equivalent personal and pastoral formation, or the equivalent in pastoral experience
3. Requirements 1 and 2 are met by those who have completed a recognised seminary course which includes a pastoral programme, and which in the opinion of the Healthcare Chaplaincy Board provides an adequate personal and pastoral formation, together with one unit of C.P.E.
4. Those who, having met these requirements, are appointed full-time chaplains will be expected to take appropriate in-service training within a reasonable period of time.