Spiritual Care

Spiritual Care Team Offers Round-the-Clock Guidance

Anne Arundel Medical Center has a long tradition of responsiveness to the spiritual needs of individuals and families. Members of the interdenominational chaplaincy team are on call 24 hours a day. Please call (443) 481-5120 to contact a member of the team.

"Our mission is to minister to the spiritual needs of patients and their families," says Rev. Kathy Clark-Dickens, lead chaplain for Anne Arundel Medical Center's Spiritual Care Team. Other team members are Rev. David Berg, Rev. Chuck Braband, Rev. Kenan Habetler, Rev. Dr. Barbara Sands, Rev. Dr. Charles Simms, and Rev. Nancy Kelly.

The concept of the spiritual care team at AAMC was developed by Rev. J. Edwin Stearns, who served as AAMC's acting director of Spiritual Care from 1996-1998. The approach of the team is holistic — to support all aspects of a patient's care and to expand spiritual services to AAMC patients, their families and AAMC staff members. Today, the program has blossomed to a team of representatives of various denominations. Their goal is to work with the patients wherever they may be in their spirituality journey in order to assist the healing process.

Team members serve as resources for hospitalized patients and family members during the time surrounding the death of a loved one, at the point of decision-making regarding artificial life support, and when patients are apprehensive about surgery or overwhelmed by illness. They baptize infants and adults, administer Holy Communion upon request and contact rabbis, priests and pastors on a minute's notice when patients need them.

"We are committed to the continued development of our spiritual care program," said Kathy Whittaker, AAMC's manager for patient advocacy services. "We measure our quality of patient care by outcomes that include a patient's spiritual as well as physical well-being."

Each member of the Spiritual Care Team is highly trained in pastoral care and counseling above the basic seminary requirements. The Spiritual Care Office is located in the Acute Care Pavilion on the first floor, next to the Meditation Center. To contact the Chaplain on duty, dial (443) 481-5120 and leave a voice message, or ask a nurse to order a consultation.

AAMC's Spiritual Care team is available on-site from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekends. A Team Member is available for emergency assistance 24 hours a day by paging through the hospital operator. The team offers Sunday services at Pathways, AAMC's alcohol and drug rehabilitation center on Riva Road in Annapolis.

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Spiritual Care
Acute Care Pavilion
Level One
(443) 481-5120

A Quiet Respite

Just past the main entrance to AAMC’s Acute Care Pavilion is the beautiful new Meditation Center. The peaceful, sunlit room offers a quiet haven for prayer, reflection and private conversation. A door leads from the chapel out to the adjacent Healing Gardens, which feature a small waterfall and slow-moving brook meandering through a landscaped walkway.

Sometimes, having a place to go to “catch your emotional breath” can make all the difference to help family members cope with a difficult situation, and enable them to better support their loved one in the hospital.