Who We Are

Pastoral Care acknowledges a diversity of faith among the patients, families and staff who come to Health First. Our Pastoral Care team is comprised of interfaith Health First Chaplains, volunteer Associate Chaplains and Spiritual Care Volunteers who are specially trained to provide spiritual and emotional support to persons of all religious faiths, including those without specific affiliations.

What We Do

We are available for prayer, consultation, counseling or other spiritual needs of patients, their families and our staff. In addition, Pastoral Care acts as a liaison to our local communities of faith, which seek to support their members receiving services at Health First. Our time spent providing any of our services is completely confidential, allowing for a supportive context where an individual's needs and concerns may openly be expressed.

For patients and families

• Coping with critical illness, new diagnosis, chronic and long-term illness
• Emotional and spiritual distress
• Grief/loss/bereavement
• Facing crisis
• Sacramental requests
• Spiritual/religious identity concerns
• Referrals to community religious/spiritual resources
• No One Dies Alone (NODA) - a program that ensures a patient has someone with them at the end of life
• Information on Advance Directives and Living Wills
• Bioethical concerns; clarifying value issues or Ethics consultations

For staff, physicians and volunteers

• Access to spiritual resources
• Education and clarification of cultural, religious, spiritual factors as they impact clinical services
• De-briefing services (onsite/offsite) after traumatic events
• Emotional and spiritual support, as well as counseling for personal issues
• Ethics consultations Spiritual Care Volunteer Services
• Daily hospital visits
• Eucharistic ministry for Catholic patients
• Prayer and conversation
• Serving as a liaison with a patient's congregation, if requested

Health First Hospital Chapels

Each hospital has a chapel available for patients, families and staff 24/7. Our Chapels offer:

• Quiet reflection for prayer and meditation 24 hours a day
• Assorted literature supporting the diversity of faiths in our communities
• Occasional services (i.e., baptism, weddings, memorials)

How to reach us

If you or someone you know have spiritual concerns or needs, please contact:

• Visitation Request
• Pastoral Care Office Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 321.434.3126 Messages left on the voicemail will be returned the next business day
• Or you may ask the unit nurse to request a chaplain
• For Urgent Needs or After-Hours: At any of our Health First sites, please contact the hospital operator at 321.434.7000, dial "0" and ask for the on-call chaplain

Fr. Robert Bruckart

Director of Pastoral Care
Office: 321.434.7183
Robert.Bruckart@HF.org

Chaplain Derly Foerste

Manager, NODA Coordinator
Office: 321.434.3510
Derly.Foerste@HF.org

Sr. Chaplain Mike Buford

Palm Bay Hospital
Office: 321.434.8280
Michael.Buford@HF.org

Chaplain Thomas "Phil" Warwick

Viera Hospital
Office: 321.434.3126
Thomas.Warwick@HF.org

Chaplain Jan Taffer

Cape Canaveral Hospital
Office: 321.434.3126
Jan.Taffer@HF.org

Flavia Varela

Pastoral Care Coordinator
Office: 321.434.8512
Flavia.Varela@HF.org

Resources