The Joint Commission approach to assessment of residents generally follows the order of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) developed for the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), but the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Long Term Care (CAMLTC) expands the assessment of the resident’s psychosocial status to include the resident’s spiritual status and needs, including spiritual orientation and the concerns of an individual faced with death such as hope, despair, guilt, or forgiveness (1998-99 CAMLTC, p.211).
Giving examples of implementation for PE.1.1.5.1, the JCAHO Manual notes that asking the resident his or her religion is not a complete spiritual assessment and suggests other information such as the roles that each resident’s church or synagogue plays in his or her life; how the resident expresses his or her spirituality; the resident’s philosophy of life; and how the resident defines hope. The publication of a memo of clarification (effective 10/6/97) suggests that there has been some confusion about responding to this standard. Further examples of elements that could be but are not required in spiritual assessment include: what does suffering mean to the patient? How does faith help the patient cope with illness? How does the patient keep going day after day?
Spiritual assessment is new to most of us outside of pastoral care. Come to our December 7th conference to share your facility’s response to this challenge. Bring your ideas and your questions.
Back to Newsletter Home Page
To Next Article
Back to NYCLTCEN Home Page
