Skip to main content
Intended for healthcare professionals
Restricted access
Research article
First published December 1994

The Chaplain's Role in Bioethical Decision-Making

Rev. Anne L. SimmondsView all authors and affiliations
Volume 7, Issue 4
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0840-4704(10)61072-1

Abstract

With advances in medical technology, difficult questions of “What should be done?” and “Who should decide?” are a daily occurrence in hospitals. This paper reports the results of a survey of Canadian chaplains with respect to their involvement in bioethical decision-making. The survey suggests that chaplains make a significant contribution to discussion and resolution of bioethical dilemmas. Using a case study, the paper elaborates on the chaplain's role in bioethical decision-making, and indicates how such participation can influence both cost containment and risk management.

Get full access to this article

View all access and purchase options for this article.

Get Access

References and Notes

1. Holst L. Hospital Ministry: The Role of the Chaplain Today. New York City: Crossroads, 1985.
Google Scholar
2. It is my estimate that approximately 150 of the 280 registrants were hospital chaplains.
Google Scholar
3. Canadian Hospital Association. Canadian Hospital Directory. Ottawa: CHA, 1992–1993.
Google Scholar
4. No distinction was made between religiously based or non-religiously based hospitals. Generally, religiously based hospitals have larger chaplaincy staff.
Google Scholar
5. Guss V. Pastoral care in bioethical reflection. The Caregiver Journal; 8(4): 30–36.
Crossref
Google Scholar
6. Nouwen H. Creative Ministry. New York: Doubleday, 1971.
Google Scholar
7. Vaux K. The chaplain and the crisis in ethics. In Hospital Ministry: The Role of the Chaplain Today. Holst LE (ed.). New York City: Crossroads, 1985.
Google Scholar
8. Fichtner CG and McKenny GP. Values interpretation: A new model for hospital ministry. Journal of Religion and Health 1991; 30(2): 109–117.
Crossref
PubMed
Google Scholar
9. This case study and discussion is rewritten from the author's paper “The chaplain as spiritual and moral agent: Strengthening the process of bioethical decision-making,” published in Humane Medicine 1994; 10(2): 103–107.
PubMed
Google Scholar
10. Chaplain Irene Fullarton, pers. com., 1993.
Google Scholar
11. Ecclesiastes 3:2.
Google Scholar
12. Roy D. “Death, Meaning and Ethics Late in the 20th Century.” Paper read at the King's College Conference on Death, Dying and Bereavement, 17–19 May 1993, at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.
Google Scholar
13. Smith K and Burton LA. Epilogue: Chaplaincy at the turn of the century. In Chaplaincy Services in Contemporary Health Care. Burton LA (ed.). Schaumberg, Ill.: College of Chaplains Inc., 1992.
Google Scholar
14. Eyer RC. Clergy's role on medical ethics committees. The Journal of Pastoral Care 1985; 39(3): 208–212.
Crossref
PubMed
Google Scholar
15. Volicer L, Hermann H, and Rheume Y. Allowing the debilitated to die (continued). The New England Journal of Medicine 1984; 310(8): 530.
Crossref
PubMed
Google Scholar

Biographies

The Rev. Anne L. Simmonds, BScN, MDiv, is Director of Champlaincy Services, The Wellesley Hospital, Toronto.

Cite article

Cite article

Cite article

OR

Download to reference manager

If you have citation software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice

Share options

Share

Share this article

Share with email
EMAIL ARTICLE LINK
Share on social media

Share access to this article

Sharing links are not relevant where the article is open access and not available if you do not have a subscription.

For more information view the Sage Journals article sharing page.

Information, rights and permissions

Information

Published In

Volume 7, Issue 4
Pages: 5 - 10
Article first published: December 1994
Issue published: December 1994

Rights and permissions

© 1994 The Canadian College of Health Leaders.
Request permissions for this article.
PubMed: 10140168

Authors

Affiliations

Rev. Anne L. Simmonds
View all articles by this author

Metrics and citations

Metrics

Journals metrics

This article was published in Healthcare Management Forum.

VIEW ALL JOURNAL METRICS

Article usage*

Total views and downloads: 24

*Article usage tracking started in December 2016

Altmetric

See the impact this article is making through the number of times it’s been read, and the Altmetric Score.
Learn more about the Altmetric Scores


Articles citing this one

Receive email alerts when this article is cited

Web of Science: 0

Crossref: 2

  1. Interprofessional Models for Shared Decision Making: The Role of the H...
    Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar
  2. Dealing with bioethical dilemmas: A survey and analysis of responses f...
    Go to citation Crossref Google Scholar

Figures and tables

Figures & Media

Tables

View Options

Get access

Access options

If you have access to journal content via a personal subscription, university, library, employer or society, select from the options below:

Canadian College of Health members can access this journal content using society membership credentials.

MEMBERSHIP LOGIN

Canadian College of Health members can access this journal content using society membership credentials.

MEMBERSHIP LOGIN

Alternatively, view purchase options below:

Purchase 24 hour online access to view and download content.

Subscribe to this journal

Access journal content via a DeepDyve subscription or find out more about this option.

Start 2 week free trial
Need help?

View options

PDF/ePub

View PDF/ePub
Download PDF

Also from Sage