Spiritual Care in PracticeCase Studies in Healthcare

These diverse case studies make a compelling case for the importance of effective spiritual care in healthcare and provide unprecedented insight into the essential role of the chaplain within the healthcare team. Presented alongside critical reflections and responses from professionals within chaplaincy, psychology, psychiatry and nursing, they provide an honest and detailed look into how healthcare chaplains actually work with the people in their care and reveal the vital role of narrative and imagination in effective transformative practice. From a 16-year-old with a belief that God would enable a miraculous recovery from paralysis, to a Nigerian woman with a history of psychosis and depression whose cultural belief in witches complicated her anxiety, each case includes insight into the patient's needs and chaplain's perspectives, discussion of Spiritual Assessments and Spiritual Care Interventions, and accounts of significant encounters and dialogues. The paediatric, psychiatric and palliative case studies and reflections in this ground-breaking book will help healthcare professionals to develop a clearer understanding of the care chaplains provide, enable chaplains to communicate their work and assess spiritual care skills more effectively, and provide an informed perspective for those who develop policy around spiritual care and need to make the case for chaplaincy services.