Almost Everything You Need to Know About Hospital Chaplaincy

By Chaplain Eddie Olivas M.A.

This book will hopefully inspire anyone who is called to the unique office of Chaplaincy. I passionately believe that very few ministers genuinely understand the role of the Chaplain or have come to accept this office as being part of the five-fold ministry, hence, the goal for this book- to educate all who are interested in this calling and to validate the position as a unique fac-et of the five-fold ministry. As most astute Christians have realized through scripture, and by the obvious design of the church the five-fold “gift ministers” are a vital part of the Church (i.e., an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher), and are instrumental in fulfilling the mission of the church today. Chaplains who fulfill the above roles in such places as hospitals, prisons, military installations, corporations, and vessels are a critical part of their assigned stations. They merit re-spect. The Bible never explicitly describes the role of the Chaplain or the vital purpose of Chap-laincy; nevertheless, the office is equivalent to that of a pastor and is an essential part of the body of Christ-they play a vital role in society. Unfortunately, it is rather annoying to see a fair amount of folks that minimize the role of a chaplain or who are merely ignorant of this critical office until they become incarcerated, hospitalized, or experience a crisis while in an academic or military set-ting. Church leadership has not made an adequate effort to educate their congregations about the valuable role of the local Chaplain who toils tirelessly with little acknowledgment or gratitude from the local church; Thus, this book was written to educate and instruct those who are interest-ed in pursuing the office of chaplaincy-to teach the more exceptional subtleties of Chaplaincy from an individual who has been involved in Chaplaincy for over 30 years and secondly provide an inside view of the very practical day to day functions of hospital chaplaincy. Although there are several different kinds of chaplains (i.e., military, prison, and academic) the chief focus of this book will be on hospital chaplaincy from my personal experiences as both a chaplain and therapist.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664220492

Chaplain Eddie Olivas M.A.

Eddie Olivas III is an experienced substance abuse professional and a Registered Marriage Family Therapist. He has over 25 years of clinical experience working with individuals from all walks of life. He has devoted the past 25 years to helping individuals who have struggled with mental illnesses and various addictions. He received his education and training in the field of psychology and addiction studies at Azusa Pacific University, UCLA, and Graceland University in Independence, Missouri. Eddie graduated with a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (Marriage and Family Therapy) and a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from Azusa Pacific University. He received his clinical training at some of Los Angeles’s most prestige’s substance abuse treatment centers and acute psychiatric hospitals. Eddie has provided counseling services to individuals in such varied environments as hospitals, clinics, and intensive residential treatment centers. He is double certified by as a substance abuse counselor through CAADAC and Briening Institute to provide substance abuse counseling in the state of California. Lastly, he is a volunteer hospital Chaplain, ordained minister and an Oblate who received training from The Prince of Peace Abby, Oceanside CA. His focus is in the area of behavioral health care, addiction studies, and studying the benefits of spirituality as it relates to human suffering. He has been married to his wife Sally for 25 years and has a son and daughter. He spends his leisure hiking, writing and consulting.

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Copyright © 2021 Chaplain Eddie Olivas, M.A. (Ret.).

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no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some

cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Interior Image Credit: Kevin Flynn PhD, A retired Los Angeles psychologist and prolific artist

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-2048-5 (sc)

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2021901096

WestBow Press rev. date: 01/27/2021

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This book will hopefully inspire anyone who is called to the unique office of Chaplaincy. I passionately believe that very few ministers genuinely understand the role of the Chaplain or have come to accept this office as being part of the five-fold ministry, hence, the goal for this book- to educate all who are interested in this calling and to validate the position as a unique facet of the five-fold ministry. As most astute Christians have realized through scripture, and by the obvious design of the church the five-fold gift ministers are a vital part of the Church (i.e., an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher), and are instrumental in fulfilling the mission of the church today. Chaplains who fulfill the above roles in such places as hospitals, prisons, military installations, corporations, and vessels are a critical part of their assigned stations. They merit respect. The Bible never explicitly describes the role of the Chaplain or the vital purpose of Chaplaincy; nevertheless, the office is equivalent to that of a pastor and is an essential part of the body of Christ-they play a vital role in society. Unfortunately, it is rather annoying to see a fair amount of folks that minimize the role of a chaplain or who are merely ignorant of this critical office until they become incarcerated, hospitalized, or experience a crisis while in an academic or military set-ting. Church leadership has not made an adequate effort to educate their congregations about the valuable role of the local Chaplain who toils tirelessly with little acknowledgment or gratitude from the local church; Thus, this book was written to educate and instruct those who are interest-ed in pursuing the office of chaplaincy-to teach the more exceptional subtleties of Chaplaincy from an individual who has been involved in Chaplaincy for over 30 years and secondly provide an inside view of the very practical day to day functions of hospital chaplaincy. Although there are several different kinds of chaplains (i.e., military, prison, and academic) the chief focus of this book will be on hospital chaplaincy from my personal experiences as both a chaplain and therapist..

CHAPLAINSHIP THE RELEVANT MINISTRY

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Image By L.A. Artist Kevin Flynn Ph.D. All art contributions were generously made by Kevin Flynn,

a talented artist, psychologist, and dear friend. Kevin resides and practices in Los Angeles CA

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Image By L.A. Artist Kevin Flynn Ph.D. All art contributions were generously made by Kevin Flynn,

a talented artist, psychologist, and dear friend. Kevin resides and practices in Los Angeles CA

CONTENTS

Preamble

A Word About Chaplaincy

Chapter 1 :   A Brief History Of Chaplaincy

A Historical Overview Of The Relationship Between Healthcare And Chaplaincy:

Chapter 2 :   Performing Chaplaincy

Chaplaincy In Today’s Hospital Setting: Maintaining A Stewardship Perspective

Chapter 3 :   Bedside Visitation And The Mundane

Chapter 4 :   Faithfulness And The Total Patient Care Environment

Fulfilling The Role Of Chaplain And Being Faithful

Chapter 5 :   Avoiding Unethical Behaviors, Psychological Trauma, And The Benefits Of Self Care And Support Systems For Accountability

Boundaries Are For Everyone, Including The Chaplain

Chapter 6 :   Chaplaincy And The Family: Challenges And Pitfalls

Chapter 7 :   Common Code Of Ethics For Chaplains (Ageeded By Most Hospital Chaplaincy Colleges, Schools, And Organizations)

Chapter 8 :   Diversification Is The Key To A Responsive Chaplain’s Office

Chapter 9 :   31 Day Devotionals

PREAMBLE

This book will hopefully inspire anyone who is called to the unique office of Chaplaincy. I firmly believe that very few ministers genuinely understand the role of the Chaplain or have come to accept this office as being part of the five-fold ministry, hence, the goal for this book- to educate all who are interested in this calling and to validate the position as a unique facet of the five-fold ministry. As most astute Christians have realized through scripture, and by the very obvious design of the church the five-fold gift ministers are a vital part of the Church (i.e., an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher), and are instrumental in fulfilling the mission of the church today. Chaplains who fulfill the above roles in such places as hospitals, prisons, military installations, corporations, and vessels are a critical part of their assigned stations. They merit respect. The Bible never explicitly describes the role of the Chaplain or the vital purpose of Chaplaincy; nevertheless, the office is equivalent to that of a pastor and is an essential part of the body of