DESCRIPTION: This course (offered pass/fail for 2 units) is designed to
provide an experience of pastoral care in the hospice setting, under the direct
supervision of an experienced hospice spiritual care provider. Students will
(1) explore attitudes about disease, pain, suffering, spirituality and religion
at the end of life, and death & dying; (2) learn the hospice philosophy of
palliative care; (3) develop skills in visitation and spiritual assessment
within home and health care facility contexts; (4) sharpen abilities to reflect
theologically in connection with patient care needs and concerns; (5)
participate in grief support settings, memorial services, and other rituals as
available.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will (1) grow in their ability to engage in
theological reflection by having regular opportunities to think critically
about ministry in light of the Christian tradition; (2) deepen their
understanding of the cultural context of ministry by immersing themselves in a
specific context and regularly reflecting with their supervisor on the
connection between context and ministry; (3) develop toward becoming
spiritually mature and accountable practitioners by reflecting with their peers
in a theological reflection group and with their supervisor in their internship
on the connection between their faith and their ministry; (4) become better
Christian leaders by having many opportunities to practice the responsibilities
of ministry throughout their internship.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: This course provides an introduction to the world of
hospice ministry--its tasks, skills, challenges, and opportunities.
COURSE FORMAT: The student will spend a minimum of 100 hours in
hospice-related settings (homes, skilled nursing settings, office) in one
10-week period. During this time, the student will be given patient visitation
assignments, meet regularly with the supervising chaplain and other hospice
staff for integrative and didactic sessions, and participate in memorial
services or support group settings as assigned. The chaplain will provide
training and lead discussions on topics relevant to hospice ministry. Students
are required to attend all sessions.
ASSIGNMENTS: Regular and punctual attendance, completion of all visitation
assignments, attendance at agreed upon meetings, inservices, and support
groups, completion of at least four written (typed) verbatims, one book review,
and one personal evaluation report to be submitted the tenth week of the
quarter by the student to the Office of Field Education, along with the
supervising chaplain's evaluation. NOTE: Substitute assignments may be given by
the chaplain, but equivalent material must be submitted.
PREREGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS: Before the student may register for this
course, several steps must be completed, a process that may take up to a
month, since the student is responsible to make arrangements for an internship
site. The first step in the process is to read the preregistration materials
available on the Internet at www.fuller.edu/sot/fielded. Apply to a
recognized hospice site. Contact the Field Education Office for a list of
recognized sites. After acceptance, submit an internship application and
schedule an enrollment interview with the Office of Field Education. If the
internship is approved, the student and his/her Academic Advisor will receive a
Course Approval Notification. The student must then contact the Academic
Advisor to receive a Course Reference Number (CRN) in order to register for
FE548 online. The student must also complete an orientation with the assigned
chaplain at the beginning of the internship.
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets FE2 Field Education MDiv requirement (MIN
7); meets part of the practicum requirements for the MA in Family Life
Education, and the MA in Recovery Ministry. This internship is offered
pass/fail for two units.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (8/09)