History
Patient Spirituality
Ministry Volunteers
Meditation
Room and
Chapel
Contact Information
|
Pastoral
Care History
Samaritan Medical Center is about to enter the 125th
year of providing health care services for the residents
of Northern New York and their families and friends.
From the beginning its founders were aware of the
need to provide spiritual care to those whom it served.
Historically, The House of the Good Samaritan (the
name originally given our facility by the wife of
our founder) was conceived by the then Rector of Trinity
Episcopal Church, Dr. Russell A. Olin, and his colleague
from the neighboring Grace Episcopal Church, Rev.
Albert Dranger. Together with five of their parishioners,
they formed the original Board of Directors. Among
the first of their tasks was to draw up a Constitution.
In the first article they described only the name
by which the facility would become known. In the second
they state emphatically, “The object of this
association shall be to establish and maintain a Hospital,
in the City of Watertown, N.Y., for the care and treatment
of sick and disabled persons….and also to provide
such persons…with the ministrations of religion,
under the direction of the clerical members of the
Board.” Today, we continue to remain faithful
to those original goals.
Patient
Spirituality
During
times of pain and joy, people search for meaning.
This is true for anyone, and not specific to any religion,
culture, or belief system. At Samaritan Medical Center,
we believe that each patient is unique and deserves
to be treated in a holistic manner. By integrating
body, mind, and spirit, patients often find their
spirituality and religious beliefs help them cope
with illness, loss, and life transitions. Research
is showing that prayer and meditation can contribute
to the healing process.
Spiritual needs are essential human needs. Some of
these include the need for love and relationships,
for meaning and purpose in our lives, the need to
forgive and be forgiving, and to feel a sense of community
and support. Belonging to a specific faith tradition
or religion is one way of meeting these needs. When
one is not so connected they often experience vulnerability
in life transitions that increase their need for spiritual
support.
Ministry
Volunteers
At
Samaritan Medical Center Pastoral Caregivers are available
to provide support during these times, helping to
identify spiritual needs and helping patients develop
and use their spiritual strengths and gifts.
Pastoral Caregivers help patients search for meaning,
identify spiritual concerns and stressors, assess
their spiritual strengths and needs, and provide counsel
in meeting those needs. In visiting patients they
establish continuity, trust, and support. Prayer,
an empathic listening presence, and unconditional
acceptance are part of providing spiritual care. Helping
family members validate their feelings associated
with illness and hospitalization is an important chaplaincy
function.
The hospital chaplains visit patients in the hospital
to meet the specific requests that are made for their
care as well as to determine the needs of those who
do not specifically request their services. In addition,
every effort is also made to determine already established
relationships in the faith community and to assist
patients in maintaining those relationships. We are
respectful, as well, of the wishes of those who prefer
to have no contact.
Finally, the chaplains also minister to the needs
of the staff as well as the institution. They work
with staff that request assistance in dealing with
difficult situations either in their work or personal
lives. They work together with staff in interdisciplinary
patient care meetings or individually to consult with
them in meeting the spiritual needs of their patients.
They serve on hospital committees to consult with
members and support the work of the healthcare system.
Meditation
Room and Chapel
There
is a meditation room and chapel located on the first
floor of the hospital near the surgical waiting area
for the use of our patients, visitors, and staff.
Please feel free to make use of this resource at any
time.
Contact
Information
If
you wish to speak with a chaplain you may contact
the Office of Pastoral Care Services. Our telephone
number is 785-4195. The Director, Rev. Leon ("Toby”)
Schilling, may be reached at 786-4948. If no one is
available in the office at the time of the call, you
may contact the hospital switchboard at 785-4000 and
request that the operator page the chaplain.
Please feel free to contact us with your spiritual
care needs or those of a loved one who is currently
a patient or resident in one of our facilities.
|
