Interview Spiritual Leader - Essay Example

Interview Spiritual Leader The person who was interviewed to comply with the requirements of the current discourse is a chaplain in a hospital. To be consistent with ethical protocols, the interviewee asked personal information not to be disclosed; and therefore, for purposes of simplicity, the person interviewed would be presented in the paper as Reverend RVM. To initiate the interview, one asked how an individual gets to be a chaplain in a health care setting; of which, he responded by saying that there is fact a credentialing organization with specifically identified background to qualify. He noted having actually pursued required units for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and to secure a license from the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and the Association of Professional Chaplains. One immediately verified the information from the Chaplain Services, Inc. which confirmed the veracity and reliability of the statements (Chaplain Services, Inc., 2012). As such, Rev. RVM revealed that as a chaplain, his basic responsibilities include the provision of spiritual care to patients, and even to their relatives, who seek upliftment and guidance, especially in trying moments. Likewise, in some special instances, as chaplain, Rev. RVM also disclosed that his responsibilities could include provision of spiritual care to the staff (employees and managers) who seek his spiritual advice to address disturbing and distressing concerns. His responses regarding expectations of people who are dying; request for final preparations; as well as dealing with knowing that death is imminent are presented in the following sections. Findings Relative to the Expectations of People who are Dying When asked from the experience of providing patients and their families with spiritual care, particularly in expectations of people who are dying, Rev. RVM revealed that different patients have varied expectations of facing death, depending on the age of the patient and the circumstances that led them to face death – either in a natural or unexpected conditions. For instance, it was revealed that older people who have had a long time being afflicted with chronic illnesses have mostly relayed expecting death as a natural part of life. Some, who have faced extreme health challenges, especially those who experience chronic and constant pain, have actually expressed the natural preference to transcend into the afterlife. However, for some patients who are still young, who have had to contend with facing imminent death due to accidents or unexpected illness which are debilitating and painful face allegedly death with fear, apprehension, and great sorrow. According to Rev. RVM, these patients usually could not accept having to give up life so soon, especially when there are loved ones or pressing obligations that still need to be fulfilled. In addition, some of the patients expressed worry and concern regarding facing death depending on the support systems: available resources to address issues surrounding death and after death experiences for family member who would be left; availability of loved ones who would support the patient during and after death; and whether all personal messages have already been relayed to any of the family members, as deemed needed. Overall, what Rev. RVM has relayed regarding expectations and experiences of people who were dying were consistent with those which were relayed by Smith (2001) who categorized expectations into the lack of control, capacity, autonomy, feelings of pain, and worrying about being a burden to their loved ones. Findings Relative to Requests of Final Preparations and/or Unusual Requests When asked regarding the most common experiences being relayed by patients or relatives regarding making final preparations during an end-of life experience, Rev. RVM relayed that predominantly, what has been requested comes from predominantly Catholic practitioners or devotees who requests for the presence of a priest to provide the sacrament of extreme unction. Research on the topic has revealed that “as explicitly stated in the Baltimore Catechism, ‘Extreme Unction may be given to all Christians dangerously ill, who have ever been capable of committing sin after baptism and who have the right dispositions for the Sacrament’” (Matthew, 2009, par. 5). Likewise, Rev. RVM remembers encountering a final request when the patient, who does not have any relative or family member present during his last hours, has requested that a message of love to be relayed to a daughter – who, she said she has not seen for a long time; and who, she said she would have wanted to express her love and how she missed her. Other patients also relayed asking for forgiveness for their sins and to bless them through the transition to eternal life. Findings on How People Deal with Knowing Death is Imminent Finally, when Rev. RVM was asked how people deal with knowing that death is imminent, he relayed that most that he encountered, served, and consoled, especially those who have experienced health challenges for a very long time and those who were old, have expressed being prepared and ready to embrace death. These people have indicated that they would like to relieve their loved ones of the burden of having to take care of them and that all messages or advice and last words have already been relayed. On the contrary, those people who are still young, in their middle ages, or those who have family members and loved ones who rely and depend on them for support, have expressed apprehension, anxiety, and regret for having to face death at such an untimely and unexpected manner. Accordingly, Rev. RVM disclosed that these people thinks that they still have more to offer in life and it was like death was depriving them of opportunities to still do some good to their loved ones. Likewise, it was also observed that people who have strong faith and have been spiritually attached to their faith have been noted to embrace death with a lighter heart and disposition. These people have allegedly acknowledged that death was a natural part and design of their existence on earth; and that it is within the design of their Divine Maker to call them from this life into the next. References Chaplain Services, Inc. (2012). Hospital Care. Retrieved from chaplainservices.org: http://chaplainservices.org/hospitals_2.html Matthew. (2009, August 30). The Sacrament of Extreme Unction (Annointing of the Sick). Retrieved from A Catholic Life: http://acatholiclife.blogspot.com/2009/08/sacrament-of-extreme-unction-annointing.html Smith, C. (2001). False Expectations: Patient Expectation and Experience of Dying in a Biomedical Community. Retrieved from University of Arizona: arizona.openrepository.com/arizona/.../azu_gn1_a785_n14_25_52_w.p...‎ Read More