Bayhealth Celebrates its Newest Graduates from its Clinical Pastoral Education Program
Bayhealth’s Chaplaincy Services celebrates its first graduating class that is eligible for board certification. The graduating class consisted of six members, three of which are continuing their clinical pastoral care career by working to become board certified chaplains.
Bayhealth is just one of two hospitals within the state of Delaware that offers a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program to qualified community members. “It is a wonderful addition to the services we provide at Bayhealth. Since we have clinically trained chaplains, spiritual care can now become a more integral part of the treatment team,” said Rev. Dr. Carol Boggerty, director of Chaplaincy Services at Bayhealth.
Michael Ashton, MPH, FACHE, administrator of Bayhealth Sussex Campus and vice president of Operations, provided a supportive speech to the graduates as the event’s keynote speaker.
This graduation proved to be a successful yet, unique event being that the accreditation review for Bayhealth’s CPE program overlapped with the event. However, the overlap also proved to be unique in the best way. “The review committee was able to witness Bayhealth’s commitment and our keynote speaker’s speech. Mr. Ashton is always an advocate for our CPE program so it was very meaningful for him to speak to the graduates,” continued Rev. Dr. Boggerty.
Within his speech, Mr. Ashton discussed the importance of remembering to serve the whole patient and pointed out Bayhealth’s support of CPE and Chaplaincy Services.
Palliative Care Nurse Loretta Higgins, GNP-BC, was also in attendance and shared a moving moment in which Chaplaincy Services assisted her daughter during a critical stage in her disease process.
The review committee were able to meet with CPE students, Bayhealth nursing staff and staff chaplains. After touring facilities and assessing the educational offerings of the CPE program, the committee granted final accreditation to Bayhealth’s CPE program.
“Health care and spiritual care can go hand-in-hand. Having clinically trained chaplains makes Bayhealth a well-rounded, full-service facility. As the industry continues to grow and as health care recognizes the need for spiritual and pastoral care at an even greater level, I am grateful that Bayhealth continues to support our programming and invest in the need for this service to our families and our staff,” Rev. Dr. Boggerty said.
Visit Bayhealth.org/Clinical-Pastoral-Education to learn more about or apply for Bayhealth’s Clinical Pastoral Education program.
