Being hospitalized can be a stressful experience for patients and their families. To help alleviate some of this stress, Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) offers various support systems for patients and families, including Chaplain Services.
PMC Chaplains provide compassionate spiritual and emotional care, which involves attending to a person’s spiritual or religious needs as they cope with illness, loss, grief or pain.
Chaplains are involved in patient care in many ways, including:
- Offering listening and nonjudgmental emotional and spiritual comfort
- Attending patient care meetings
- Providing bereavement support during end-of-life care
- Helping with crisis support and treatment decisions
In addition, chaplains offer religious support and faith-based materials for those in the hospital, which can include:
- Praying with the patient and their family
- Providing devotional materials
- Helping contact a patient’s personal clergy and/or community of faith
“Spiritual care is an important component in healthcare. We are more than just physical beings,” explained PMC Director of Chaplain Services Larry Penix. “When we treat the total person through holistic care, which involves the mind, body, soul, and spirit, studies have shown there is a much better outcome for patients.”
At Pikeville Medical Center, the chaplain services team consists of 4 full-time chaplains, one part-time chaplain and volunteers, allowing them to offer 24/7 support for patients and PMC staff when needed. There is a chapel located on the 2nd floor of the May Tower that is open 24 hours a day for prayer, reflection and meditation. On Sunday mornings at 7:30am, PMC Chaplains also lead an in-person worship service for any patients, visitors or staff who can attend.
To learn more about PMC Chaplain Services, please visit https://www.pikevillehospital.org/services/chaplain-services/ or call (606) 430-3500.
