Services Offered by Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Services assists patients, families and friends as they call on the supportive dynamics of their spiritual beliefs and traditions to help them in the healing process. Staff will notify a patient's clergy member, congregation or faith group, provide ongoing supportive visits, and offer prayer with a chaplain. A member of the spiritual care team will also visit a patient before surgery or during a crisis, and provide Holy Communion, other sacraments, and religious literature. If patients would like to discuss issues about faith and meaning in life, or would like to request spiritual support for family and friends, they may call on Pastoral Care.

Assessing Spiritual Need

Providing an individual or group with appropriate spiritual care requires the cooperation of many departments and services. Our Admissions staff plays a crucial role when they invite patients to identify their religious preferences as they are registered. The nursing staff conducts a spiritual assessment as part of the nursing admission process. Social Services frequently asks patients and families about their spiritual needs, and all those who serve our patients are able to make referrals to our services.

Spiritual care is often initiated by a visit from a Pastoral Care staff member or one of our registered community visitors.

John Muir Medical Center Chapel

The hospital chapel is available for patients, visitors and staff members. It is open it is open 7 days a week 24 hours a day, and is located on the first floor, near the central elevator bank.

We hope you find this chapel a place of spiritual peace and comfort. Literature is available for your use.

Check with the Pastoral Care office for other spiritual and religious resources in the Pastoral Care Library.