Center for Spiritual Leadership in HealthCare
The Center for Spiritual leadership in Health Care nurtures, studies, and researches the application of the lived organizational experience of individuals and communities who seek wholeness and integration. This leadership is appropriate and needed in the health care setting, which is comprised of individuals who are rooted in both personal and corporate traditions that represent communities of memory and meaning. The diversity of faith traditions and spiritualities that are inherent in this work is consistent with the Jesuit Catholic ethos integral to the Center for Spiritual Leadership in Health Care.
History of the Center for Spiritual Leadership in Health Care
The Center for Spiritual Leadership in Health Care grew out of a long-term relationship between Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing of Loyola University Chicago, and The International Parish Nurse Resource Center (IPNRC), when operated by Advocate Health Care. Since the late 1980's Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing has been a partner with the IPNRC in the development of a standardized core curriculum for the ministry of parish nursing practice. Over time the need for resource development for ongoing spiritual formation for the parish nurse community became apparent. In the spring of 2001, Ann Solari-Twadell, then Director of the IPNRC, approached Dean Haas regarding the development of an institute dedicated to spiritual development of those working in all health care settings. This proposal was put on hold when the assets of The IPNRC were transferred to the Deaconess Foundation in St. Louis. Following this reorganization of the IPNRC both Ann Solari-Twadell and Lisa Burkhart, who also was employed by the IPNRC, left the IPNRC and joined the faculty in Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing in August of 2002.
In 2003, the Center for Spiritual Leadership in Health Care was established by Loyola University Chicago to serve students, faculty, nurses, counselors, and administrators who are committed to health care by promoting awareness, knowledge, and skills related to spirituality, spiritual care, and spiritual leadership. A grant awarded by EVOKE, a Lilly Foundation-funded university program, supported the early work of organizing the advisory board, and developing the mission, vision and objectives of the center.