| Some additional context and detail about hospital chaplaincy in the US: 1) In a major metro area, it's very likely that not all of the chaplains on staff at a hospital are Christian. It's rare, but increasingly likely, that chaplains are not even religious. 2) Chaplains have a primary responsibility to and the time and relationships with hospital staff to advocate for the patient and their family in addition to their more stereotypical duties providing emotional, religious, or spiritual support. 3) Chaplains also provide various types of support and guidance for your family or other loved ones -- so having a relationship with the hospital's chaplains can be a huge help for your loved ones if you are incapacitated for advocacy to the medical team, for navigating logistics, and for providing someone dispassionate to listen. Of course, YMMV based on your location. In the deep south or outside a major metro, the chances that a given chaplain is an evangelical Christian who might try to convert you are higher. And even in a major metro, you might find a chaplain who doesn't really want to do their job. But if you're in the hospital and having trouble navigating the bureaucracy or getting the attention of your medical team, asking to visit with a chaplain can be very productive toward those ends. |