Patient Coping: The Importance of Assessing Spiritual and Existential Distress in Acute Rehabilitation Patients 2570

Thursday, October 30, 2025

1:15 PM - 2:15 PM

Location: ROOM: Private Dining Room #6 >>> DIRECTIONS Third Floor >>> From the Main Elevator Bank, proceed right and then right again after the stairs. PDR #6 is located at the end of the corridor on the left.

Corresponding Presenter(s)

Holly E. Medearis, DNP, MSN, MDiv, RN, CRRN, CPHQ (she/her/hers)

Regulatory and Accreditation Coordinator
Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital
St. Augustine, FL, United States

Slides Slides

Presenter(s)

Joseph Medearis, MDiv, BCC

Chaplain
Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital
St. Augustine, FL, United States

This groundbreaking research introduces a Spiritual Distress Scale used by the interdisciplinary team, marking a pivotal shift in chaplaincy from primarily qualitative assessment to robust, quantitative assessment. By applying scientific rigor to spiritual care, this study starts to establish measurable, evidence-based insights into patient distress, positioning chaplaincy as a vital, data-informed discipline within modern healthcare.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion the participant will be able to explain how the shifts in the religious and cultural landscape impacts the role of chaplains and pastoral care departments.
Upon completion the participant will be able to explain the role of the chaplain and their importance as part of the interprofessional rehabilitation team.
Upon completion the participant will be able to describe the importance of assessing spiritual/existential distress in rehabilitation patients and/or families.