Spiritual Care

A hospital stay can be challenging and stressful for patients and their loved ones. We know that your spiritual care is also an important part of the healing process.

We provide compassionate, non-judgmental and confidential spiritual care services to patients, family members and staff without regard for faith affiliation, beliefs, or those who hold no particular faith affiliation.

All faith, spiritual and cultural beliefs are respected and honored. Our spiritual care chaplains are healthcare professionals who are specifically trained and certified in the process of listening to and interpreting spiritual needs and resources and serves an important member of the care team. Spiritual Care seeks to understand persons’ beliefs, helping them to discover what brings meaning and purpose to their life, especially regarding their health.

The goal of spiritual care is to seek to connect the patient and family to their own spiritual or religious frame of reference, not superimpose or proselytize any specific tradition. Spiritual care chaplains participate in ICU rounds, plan of care meetings with patients, families and physicians, and are available for end of life care and ethical decision making, including advanced directives.

Requesting a chaplain

Patients, family members and friends can request a spiritual care chaplain.  We are also available to assist with your own clergy or other pastors who are coming to visit. To contact the Hillsboro Medical Center chaplain, ask your attending nurse to call the chaplain on duty.

Ethics advice

A multi-discipline team of health care professionals who have training in healthcare ethics are available to respond to requests for advice.

In seeking and or delivering health care, difficulties can arise.  Patients, families, or providers may be faced with the responsibility of making tough ethical decisions.  Sometimes, the people involved find themselves locked in disagreements about what to do.  In seeking out solutions to difficult care related issues, clinical ethics advice focuses on encouraging collaboration and adhering to the core principals of ethical care: Respect for Persons, Fairness, Doing No Harm and Promoting the Best Interest of patients receiving care at Hillsboro Medical Center.

Request ethics advice

Contact the Spiritual Care Coordinator at 503-681-1125, or the Nursing House Supervisor at 503-681-1255.

Download a copy of  the Ethics Committee Advice Request form (PDF) »