Basic elements of ministry in hospital chaplaincies

Abstract

This article provides a brief overview of what would be the hospital chaplaincy or ministry based on the experiences of the health professionals themselves and on academic research in the field of Practical Theology developed on the subject. From the conceptualization of what would be the pastoral counseling at hospitals  and a historical review of this approach, we seek to establish a list of the basic and guiding elements of pastoral agents in their activities in the hospital environment. The basis for understanding the subject is the grasping of an integral approach to human being, humanization of care in the health area and the performance of multidisciplinary teams in hospitals.