Chaplains as specialists in spiritual care for patients in Europe

The development and the organization of chaplaincy in the European context are very diverse. The religious history and the culture of a country are the most determining factors. Still an increasing trend towards professionalism is noticeable. The number of professional associations for chaplains, for example, is growing. The need for professional chaplaincy is founded on the paradigm of whole person care and on the trend towards specialized care in hospitals. The whole person care approach implies integrated spiritual care because every person has spiritual needs and resources. Every caregiver should develop competencies to assess the spiritual dimension of a patient (primary care) and there should also be well trained caregivers who specialize in spiritual care (secondary care). In that perspective the chaplain is perceived as the specialist in assessing and dealing with the spiritual needs and resources of patients and families. The need for professional chaplaincy can also be seen as a right of a patient. In some European countries, like The Netherlands and Belgium, chaplaincy is mentioned in laws based on the right of freedom of religion.