Spiritual Care Services…Respect for all Spiritual Dimensions

What are Spiritual Care Services?
At the Espanola General Hospital, meeting the physical, emotional. social and spiritual needs of the sick, injured, frail and of our employees is built into our philosophy. Spiritual Care Services are offered in conjunction with other hospital health care services to meet the spiritual needs of patients, patients’ family members as well as members of the hospital’s staff. All are welcome to use this service whatsoever be his or her religion, culture, race, lifestyle or sexual orientation. We fully respect the spiritual dimension of each individual.

Are these services affiliated to a specific religion?
While this important service is not affiliated to any one religion in particular, it works in close conjunction with the great diversity of religious organizations, ministries, spiritual services as well as other pertinent services that presently exist in the town of Espanola and its surrounding communities.

Who do I speak to if I need this service?
The hospital’s Spiritual Care Services representative is available to meet with you upon request. You may do this through your nurse, physician or other member of the hospital’s personnel.

What are the roles of the Spiritual Care Representative?
With the patient’s approval, this individual will visit patients at their bedside and if need be, on a regular basis. She or he also acts as a resource person, building a multi-dimensional, multi-faith and multi-cultural network in order to see to patients’ and patients’ family members’ spiritual needs as well as those of the hospital staff.

Is the Spiritual Care representative capable of administering sacraments?
The Spiritual Care representative at the Espanola General Hospital is not an ordained ecclesiastic. This individual may, however, communicate with your clergyperson if you request a sacrament.

What if I’m not religious?
Spirituality is expressed in a great diversity of ways. Our Spiritual Care Services representative will be happy to be of service to you in order to assure that your spiritual needs are met during your stay at the Espanola General Hospital.

Is a worship space available for me during my stay at the Espanola General Hospital?
A permanent worship space is now available in the South wing of the Espanola Nursing Home. Worship services aare held each Thursday morning at 11:00, while the Roman Catholic Mass is celebrated Friday mornings at 11:00.

I belong to a certain denomination and would like to be visited by my clergyperson.
All Spiritual Leaders and Clergy are welcome at this hospital. We will be pleased to assist you with contacting your Spiritual Leader or Clergyperson upon request.

What about the issue of confidentiality?
The Spiritual Care representative acts in the strictest confidentiality. He or she may not reveal to patients anything about the gravity of the illness nor reveal to anyone else what they have learned in dealing with a patient, about the illness or anything connected with it. The Spiritual Care services representative will keep notes which become part of the patient’s clinical record.