Pastoral Care

ETCH Chapel, located on the 5th Floor of the North Tower

Chapel at East Tennessee Children's Hospital

Our hospital chapel is located on the fifth floor of the North Tower across from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). It is available for family use 24 hours a day.

At East Tennessee Children's Hospital, our chaplains offer emotional and spiritual supportive care for patients, families and staff, no matter what your spiritual path may be. Chaplains are part of the holistic care that ETCH provides for the health and wellbeing of your family and child. Our pastoral care team can offer empathic support and help as you navigate through any health concern your child might be encountering, no matter what faith you are.

Our chaplains can assist you with a rite or ritual such as communion, baptism, anointing and sacrament of the sick. They can also connect you with local faith-based groups and organizations that share in your beliefs.

Whether your child is coming for outpatient surgery, clinic appointments, an emergency department visit, or is admitted for an overnight stay, our chaplains are available. They are trained to provide supportive assistance as you work through any number of feelings that arise--whether helplessness, grief, celebration, anger, fear, regret, or any other emotion. They are grateful to come alongside every patient, family, and staff member to provide care.

ETCH volunteers handknit prayer shawls that are available at the chapel for those who would like a tangible reminder that their prayers and concerns are being held. The wall outside the chapel contains a note pad and pen so people can write a prayer or prayer request and can place the paper in one of the many slots. All prayer requests are prayed for by Pastoral Care staff daily and weekly.

You can request a chaplain by asking a member of your health care team, or by calling the Spiritual and Pastoral Care Office at (865) 541-8375. Chaplains are available in the hospital Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. They rotate on-call for emergencies after hours, so patients and families can receive Chaplain care 24/7.

The Spiritual Care Offices and chapel are located in the North Tower on the fifth floor. Our chapel is open 24/7 to provide a place for meditation, prayer and reflection for anyone seeking a quiet place of respite.