Ministry in the Spiritual and Cultural Diversity of Health Care : Increasing the Competency of Chaplains

Stay up-to-date in health care ministry as cultural and spiritual heterogeneity increases! Ministry in the Spiritual and Cultural Diversity in Health Care: Increasing the Competency of Chaplains identifies concrete methods for improving the provision of pastoral care to culturally and religiously diverse patients and/or residents. Experts from both inside and outside the profession-with established records in cross-cultural work and experience with religious diversity-discuss in detail the multicultural revolution that has challenged the traditional health care delivery system. With this timely resource, you will be able to respond to the requests and desires of patients and their loved ones with compassion and consideration for their cultural and spiritual backgrounds. Ministry in the Spiritual and Cultural Diversity in Health Care explores the challenges for the spiritual care professional in health care to address the emotional, cultural, and spiritual needs of a patient without assumption, bias, or discomfort for either person. In addition to advice, recommendations, and real-world examples and case studies, this valuable resource provides a guide for chaplaincy supervisors to use when training chaplain students to impart such unprejudiced care. The book is devoted to establishing chaplains who are clinically trained and certified to contribute to the increasingly pluralistic and global health care context with assorted religious, spiritual, and cultural values, beliefs, and practices. Ministry in the Spiritual and Cultural Diversity in Health Care will keep you updated on: how a health care chaplain can overlook the differing worldview of a patient and his or her family how cultural diversity impacts the work of the health care chaplain specific strategies and tools that will assist chaplains in acquiring spiritual and cultural competency definitions, obstacles, and standards of care for fostering a genuine multicultural perspective among health care givers, particularly chaplains how professional health care chaplains take leadership in responding to cultural and spiritual diversity within health care environments Doody Review Services Reviewer: Martha J. Greenberg, PhD, RN(Pace University) Description: This enlightening monograph is a collection of articles written by ministers and lay counselors that cogently and thoughtfully discuss issues surrounding cultural competence and spirituality. Purpose: This thought-provoking book emphasizes the integration of spirituality in cultural diversity. The purpose is to present several short articles emphasizing cultural competency assessment and integration in chaplaincy practice with corresponding responses by lay and spiritual counselors. Audience: While the book is written for chaplains, especially those in pastoral care, it is highly appropriate for all clinicians and students from a wide array of disciplines who are interested in spirituality and cultural diversity. The authors are practicing chaplains and counselors and are highly credible. Features: The authors present some excellent case examples and analyses of spiritual values and beliefs from the perspectives of the "chaplain-counselor" and "patient" using information from theology, anthropology, and counseling to illustrate spiritual meaning unique to each person. This small gem of a book is thought-provoking yet grounded in human narratives. Assessment: I highly recommend this monograph. While there are several books in the complementary literature dealing with spirituality, none capture the intricacies of one individual's beliefs in simultaneous interaction with another's diversity. "Ministry in the Spiritual and Cultural Diversity of Health Care identifies concrete methods for improving the provision of pastoral care to culturally and religiously diverse patients and/or residents. Experts from both inside and outside the profession - with established records in cross-cultural work and experience with religious diversity - discuss in detail the multicultural revolution that has challenged the traditional healthcare delivery system. This book also provides chaplaincy supervisors with a guide for training their students to provide such care. Book jacket." (Back cover) "Ministry in the Spiritual and Cultural Diversity of Health Care identifies concrete methods for improving the provision of pastoral care to culturally and religiously diverse patients and/or residents. Experts from both inside and outside the profession - with established records in cross-cultural work and experience with religious diversity - discuss in detail the multicultural revolution that has challenged the traditional healthcare delivery system. This book also provides chaplaincy supervisors with a guide for training their students to provide such care. Book jacket."--Jacket SUMMARY. Chaplains who are clinically trained and certified spiritual care professionals can make a unique contribution in today's increasingly pluralistic and global health care context with diverse religious, spiritual and cultural values, beliefs and practices.