Chaplain Verbatim Tool

A guided reflection template for chaplain visits. Write as you go. Pause. Return later. Your work stays on your device.

“Our #1 job is to listen to whomever we have in front
of us and follow what they are sharing,
not listening to respond, but to understand.
Not visiting them with our own agenda.”

Chaplain Ron Ringo (Chappy)

What is a verbatim?

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A verbatim is a reflective record of a chaplain’s visit with another person. It is not a diagnosis and not a performance scorecard. It is a tool that helps chaplains slow down, remember the encounter, and learn from it—what was said, what was observed, what was felt, and what could be done differently next time.

This template is designed to support attentive listening, careful observation, and pastoral reflection. Use it as a “pastoral mirror” after a visit—or even during a visit if appropriate and discreet.

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Your Verbatim Notes

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HELP NOTE: In the space above enter information about the person you are visiting. For example: first name, age (if known), religious preference (if they have shared it), location (hospital, nursing home, etc.). Example: “Peter is a patient at Super Care Medical Hospital. He is about 63 years old. I know from previous conversations that he is a retired Army veteran. No PPE restrictions for his room.”

HELP NOTE: What do you plan to do when you visit? Example: “I plan to listen for spiritual concerns, ask open-ended questions, and make sure the member knows they can contact me for spiritual care.”

HELP NOTE: What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? Example: “Curtain closed. IV pump alarm sounding. Strong smell of bleach. Veteran coughing.”

HELP NOTE: Greet the person and identify yourself as a Chaplain. Record the encounter as best you can remember. Use: C1, P1, C2, P2… Try to note verbal and non-verbal expressions (smiling, crying, looking away, angry, etc.). Remember privacy/HIPAA considerations.

HELP NOTE: Is the person talkative? Do they readily express feelings? Did they express spiritual concerns (prayer, meaning, hope, guilt, grief)? Keep it pastoral and observational.

HELP NOTE: Although chaplains are not psychologists, note what you observed. Did they seem safe and comfortable? Any signs of distress, hopelessness, or overwhelm?

HELP NOTE: Does the person trust the environment they are in? How might culture/background/family systems affect their experience? Example: “Family is central; Sunday dinner is a key support.”

HELP NOTE: Not all chaplains have had formal theological education. Simply note concerns the person shared. Example: “Wants pastor contact. Requests communion. Asked for prayer.”

HELP NOTE: What are your thoughts about the visit? Where did you feel connection, resistance, compassion, or uncertainty?

HELP NOTE: Did the person connect with you as a peer? What could you do differently next time? What skills do you want to strengthen (open-ended questions, silence, prayer, referral, follow-up)?
Chaplain Verbatim Template © 2026. Designed by Chaplain Dale A. Iannello (Chappy). All rights reserved.