Bay News 9
Bay News 9

Hospitals facing clergy shortage

 Post a comment | E-mail this story | Print  

Some Bay area hospitals are facing a shortage in a surprising area.

It's not medicine, nor doctors, but clergy of all faiths. Morton Plant Mease Hospital clergy manager Rev. Steven Smith said research shows patients' number one complaint is that there are not enough chaplains.

There's only one full-time chaplain at Morton Plant Mease in Clearwater, and the hospital has about 400 patients on an average day. At times nurses serve as substitute chaplains.

E-mail the TV reporter
Currently hospital administrators are recruiting interns from local churches. Their goal is to have 12 more full-time chaplains.

"The patients will benefit greatly by improved access to pastoral and spiritual care," Smith said.

Richard Rones, a patient at Morton Plant Mease, agreed with Smith.

"The physical medicine, I don't know if it's helped me or set me back," Rones said. "But the spiritual medicine, it's held me together."

Richard Rones has died since Bay News 9 conducted the interviews with him. His family requested we still run this story, saying the clergy program at Morton Plant Mease and doing this story made Mr. Rones feel dignity and pride in his last days.


County by County
County: or Zip:
advertisment:
advertisment:

Be a BayNews9.com 'Insider'

BayNews9.comDo you want to be a BayNews9.com 'Insider'? Get the scoop on what's inside BayNews9.com by reading InsideBayNews9.com.

Bay News 9 on DemandBay News 9 on Demand is free and exclusively available on Bright House Networks digital cable, Channel 342. Here's what's new:

  • NEW interactive program guide
  • Complete coverage: Nick Hogan arrest
  • Catch 47 - Rays of Change special show
  • Watch Discovery land
  • 2007 Severe Weather Special - Learn about everything from hurricanes to lightning
Choose your text size
Select the size text you want to use to view www.baynews9.com from the choices below.
Normal | Big | Bigger | Biggest

Bay News 9's Partners

Bay News 9 en espanol
Catch 47 Central Florida News 13 Travel Weather Now

Become An Asterisk Hunter!

Learn more at AsteriskHunters.com At Bright House Networks, we prefer to keep things simple.

So the next time you're looking for TV, home phone and Internet service with a 30-day, money-back guarantee, but without the fine print surprises, call

1-866-976-EASY.

Learn more at AsteriskHunters.com.