Each year, the Spiritual Care department receives three to 12 students from the School of Theology at the University of Toronto. These students are assigned to nursing units and conduct general visits and referrals from staff. They assist people in coping with their hospitalization, provide a supportive presence and facilitate a holistic approach to health care.
“Going through spiritual care education in my first clinical pastoral education unit under the supervision of Rev. Ajith Varghese was a life changing experience. I have learned a lot about community formation, religious and cultural diversity, and myself,” explains Andrew Abdelmalek, Spiritual Care student at SHN.
Over their year placement in 2018-2019, SHN’s spiritual care students provided 2160 hours of patient care throughout the hospitals. On July 24, Liz Buller, President & CEO, joined Ajith Varghese and the students at their graduation ceremony to celebrate and recognize their remarkable contributions to SHN.
“The most remarkable experience for me was attending the rounds and seeing how the whole team of care – doctors, nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and spiritual care providers, collaborate for the care of each and every patient making the medical care truly holistic and wholesome,” says Amira Ayad, Spiritual Care student at SHN. “Witnessing all the effort done behind the scenes was truly inspiring.”
Congratulations to our most recent graduates:
- Amira Ayad
- Andrew Abdelmalek
- Olfat Sakr
- Olivia McPherson
- Ross Gilmour
- Sadiyah Chauhan
The Spiritual Care department at SHN focuses on providing spiritually and culturally sensitive services for patients, families and staff. The community serviced by the hospital is richly diverse and we are committed to understanding and meeting the needs of our community. Scarborough’s cultural and religious variety is one of the many reasons spiritual care students choose SHN to complete their placement.
“The goal of Spiritual Care is to assist people in drawing upon their own religious beliefs and spiritual resources as they seek to face the challenge or crisis before them, keeping the feelings of hope and purpose strong in their lives,” says Ajith Varghese, Manager Spiritual Care. “Every year we expose our students to multiple disciplines supporting people of all faiths and no faith.”