C.W. Post Hosts The Long Island Center for
Ethics’ Spirituality and Patient Care Conference

September 2003 - The spiritual life of individuals makes a difference in their health and in the quality of their dying. Yet, the topic isn’t spoken about often. The Long Island Center for Ethics, who is hosting The Nassau-Suffolk Health Care Ethics Network’s conference, "Spirituality and Care of the Patient," on Thursday, November 13, 2003 hopes to change that. "An exploration of the relationship between spirituality and healing could be beneficial to healthcare professionals and patients alike," said Dr. John Lutz, C.W. Post philosophy professor and conference coordinator. "This conference intends to open a debate and dialogue on how spirituality relates to patient care."

The Long Island Center for Ethics and The Nassau-Suffolk Health Care Ethics Network have hosted a yearly clinical ethics conference for the past three years. Participants at previous conferences requested November’s topic. This year’s program is designed to enhance the skills needed by professionals and institutional ethics committee members for addressing the spiritual needs of their patients. "There is increased evidence that patient spirituality improves their outcome," said Dr. Ellen M. McGee, Associate for BioEthics and Director Emeritus of The Long Island Center for Ethics, "so there’s a growing need for all health care providers to be aware of a patient’s spiritual values and how to take this into consideration during their treatment."

Programs include discussions on "Spiritual Issues in the Care of the Dying," led by the renown Dr. Daniel P. Sulmasy, who holds the Sisters of Charity Chair in Ethics at Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers in NYC and is a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Bioethics Institute of New York Medical College. Other topics include viewpoints on spirituality and patient care through the perspective of various religions.

Registration starts at 12:20 p.m., with the conference beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the C.W. Post Campus Interfaith Center. Preregistration costs (through October 24) are: $35 for members/$40 for nonmembers or, for institutions, $160 members/$200 nonmembers. Late registration costs (after October 24) are $40 members/$45 nonmembers or, for institutions, $200 members/$240 nonmembers. The fee includes tuition, refreshment and parking. Space is limited and early registration is advised.

The Nassau-Suffolk Health Care Ethics Network is a regional organization of institutional and individual members who seek to promote educational programs in bioethics as well as to provide a forum for those involved in clinical ethics in Nassau and Suffolk counties. The administrative home of the Network is The Long Island Center for Ethics. Network membership, through membership in The Long Island Center for Ethics, is available to all individuals or institutions interested in medical ethics.

C.W. Post Campus, in Brookville, New York, is part of Long Island University, the eighth largest private university in America. The campus, located on the 308-acre sprawling former estate of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, offers more than 157 academic programs. C.W. Post also offers an extensive continuing education program and doctoral degrees in information studies and clinical psychology.

For more information, call the C.W. Post Public Relations Office at (516) 299-2333 or email pr@cwpost.liu.edu or send mail to: Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville, New York 11548-1300.