What Is A Healthcare Chaplain?

A hospital/healthcare chaplain, is a person who provides pastoral care and services in hospitals, nursing homes or for hospice or the homebound sick. They primarily work with patients and their loved ones but they may offer ministry to staff members of nursing homes and hospitals as well, when requested. The role of a healthcare chaplain is generally the same no matter the church or entity they represent.

What Does A Chaplain Do?

The duties of a healthcare chaplain range from giving spiritual support to patients and loved ones to providing spiritual peace for a patient who is nearing the end of his or her life. They may perform prayer or counseling, read from the Bible or lend an ear for people who need advice or comfort for any spiritual/emotional difficulties.

Chaplain duties normally include filling out records of their activities with patients, teaching/helping other staff members who wish to incorporate spiritual methods, and building relationships with patients and staff alike. In times of crisis or trauma, chaplains may provide grief counseling. Patience, empathy, communication, and listening skills are very common requirements to perform chaplain responsibilities.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:  The prospective candidate must hold an earned

Bachelor’s degree conferred by an approved educational institution. 

DEGREE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:

TUITION - $2,495.00

Automatic Monthly Payment Program:  $200 down and $100 a month for a total of $2,495.00.

Up Front Payment Program: $300 reduction for a total of $2,195.00 paid at enrollment.

Tuition does not include textbooks. Please purchase them at your favorite book dealer or www.Amazon.com. 

ABOUT THIS DEGREE PROGRAM:  The purpose of the Master of Arts in Healthcare Chaplaincy degree program is to acquaint the student with a broad perspective of Healthcare Chaplaincy. 

The program consists of ten courses, which are the equivalent of fifty hours. Texts must be selected from the list of Authorized Textbooks provided below.  Although all textbooks may be ordered simultaneously, assignments must be submitted one at a time.  Once a textbook is read, a 10 to 20 page paper describing what was read must be submitted for grading.    A four to six page paper is required for each No Travel Seminar.  We are simply asking students for a summary of the material.  Review the How to Submit Your Work tab concerning submission of assignments.

SPECIFIC DEGREE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:  The Master of Arts in Healthcare Chaplaincy degree program requires a total of 50 hours.  This is comprised of ten courses (50 hours). Seven of the ten required courses must be core courses, chosen from the list of Authorized Textbooks provided below.  Up to three of the ten required courses may be No Travel Seminars. No Travel Seminars are optional.  If No Travel Seminars are not utilized, all ten of the required courses must be chosen from the list of Authorized Textbooks provided below.  Elective courses/textbooks may not be utilized.  Alternate courses/textbooks may not be utilized.

Courses/Textbooks may not be utilized for more than one degree program.

AUTHORIZED COURSES AND TEXTBOOKS:

• HC 501 Healthcare Chaplaincy:  Required Text -  Healthcare Chaplaincy by Kathy J. Smith
• HC  503 Evidence Based Healthcare Chaplaincy:Required Text -  Evidence Based Healthcare Chaplaincy by George Fitchett
• HC 505 Spiritual Care in Practice: Case Studies in Healthcare Chaplaincy:Required Text - Spiritual Care in Practice: Case Studies in Healthcare Chaplaincy by George Fitchett
• HC 507 Chaplains as Partners in Medical Decision-Making: Case Studies in Healthcare Chaplaincy: Required Text -  Chaplains as Partners in Medical Decision-Making: Case Studies in Healthcare Chaplaincy by Karen Pugliese, Jeanne Wirpsa
• HC 509 Case Studies in Spiritual Care:Required Text - Case Studies in Spiritual Care by George Fitchett
• HC 511 Ethical Questions in Healthcare Chaplaincy: Learning to Make informed Decisions:Required Text - Ethical Questions in Healthcare Chaplaincy: Learning to Make Informed Decisions by Pia Matthews
• HC 513 Chaplaincy in Hospice and Palliative Care:Required Text - Chaplaincy in Hospice and Palliative Care by Karen Murphy
         
• HC  515  Ministry of Hospital Chaplains:Required Text -  Ministry of Hospital Chaplains: Patient Satisfaction by Marjorie A Lyon
• HC 517  Faith, Systems and Mental Healthcare:  Required Text - Grace Is A Pre-Existing Condition by David Finnegan-Hosey
• HC 519 Bedside Chaplaincy:Required Text -  Thoughts from the Bedside: From Medicine to Chaplaincy and Beyond by Bill Holmes
• HC 521 Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care in Mental Health Settings:Required Text - Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care in Mental Health Settings Edited by Jean Fletcher
• HC  523   Spirituality in Healthcare: Perspectives for Innovative Practice: Required Text - Spirituality in Healthcare: Perspectives for Innovative Practice by Fiona Timmins and Silvia Caldeira
• HC 525 How To Talk with Sick, Dying and Grieving People:  Required Text -  How to Talk with Sick, Dying and Grieving People when there are no Magic Words to Say  by Patrick Riecke
• HC 527  Contract Pastoral Care and Education: Required Text -  Contract Pastoral Care and Education: The Trend of the Future? by Larry Van De Creek 
• HC 529  Fostering Spiritual Wellbeing: Required Text -  Chaplaincy and the Soul of Health and Social Care by  Ewan Kelly and John Swinton
• 531   Health care Chaplaincy in Oncology: Required Text -  Health Care Chaplaincy in Oncology by Laurel A. Burton and George F.  Handzo
• HC 800 MINISTRY STUDIES PRACTICAL SURVEY - MINISTER’S GUIDEBOOK INSIGHTS from a FELLOW MINISTER by DR. GLENN W MOLLETTE CLICK HERE OR GO TO AMAZON.COM TO  PURCHASE

Ordination Certification:

Before becoming a healthcare chaplain, an individual may become ordained or may already have an ordination certificate.  Ordination requirements differ by denomination and churches and there is no one way to become ordained. You may already be ordained or wish to pursue ordination at the end of this study.