title: End-of-life-vignettes. A Chaplain's story.
abstract: Julia, a 31-year-old woman, is brain dead after having suffered a cardiac arrest. This article describes a hospital chaplain's journey with her family through the tragedy of letting her die. It addresses the power of pastoral presence and prayer in a situation of loss and grief and the importance of storytelling for everyone involved in Julia's end-of-life care.
authors: 1Department of Pastoral Care, Lutheran Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Bodemann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001926:Brain Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000628:therapy; D010327:Pastoral Care; D028761:Withholding Treatment
keywords: bereavement; end-of-life counseling; interdisciplinary team; medical ethics; pastoral care; spiritual care