SHELTON, WA – Mason Health is excited to welcome Rev. Dr. Nancy Niero, an ordained United Church of Christ pastor, who joined the District’s group of volunteer chaplains earlier this year. She joins four other faith leaders of varying denominations who provide spiritual support to Mason Health patients, loved ones, and staff in their time of need.

Rev. Dr. Niero joins Mason Health after serving as a hospice chaplain for 15 years, serving as a listening presence, advocate, and pastor to people who were dying. She decided to volunteer after a friend and former volunteer recommended joining the District. “She saw an article that hospital chaplains were needed and thought I should do it. Sometimes you need to trust friends who point you in the right direction.”

Nancy graduated from Flagstaff High School and spent most of her adult life in Denver before relocating to Shelton. Prior to being called to ministry, she worked as a journalist and historic preservationist. In 2025, she published her first book Witness at Sand Creek, The Life and Letters of Silas Soule, which tells the story of Captain Silas Soule, a young abolitionist turned Union officer who refused to participate in the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864.

At the age of 50, Dr. Niero went to seminary, called to be a hospice chaplain and work in hospice bereavement. 

The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a distinct and diverse community of Christians that come together as one church to join faith and action. UCC has over 5,000 churches and nearly one million members across the United States. UCC considers itself a “church of firsts” - the first historically white denomination to ordain an African American, the first to ordain a woman, the first to ordain an openly gay man, and the first Christian church to affirm the right of same-gender couples to marry.

“No one ever wants to be in a hospital, but when someone is, I hope it's comforting for patients and families to have someone who will listen to the questions that need to be asked, especially when facing distressing news. But chaplains aren't at the hospital for distressing days only. Chaplains provide a listening presence for staff who may have been having a difficult day,” said Niero. “They bring the sacred and holy with them, and sacred and holy work is what happens every day at Mason General. I especially appreciate that faith is in the house when chaplains are in the hospital. If I were ill at Mason General, I would want a chaplain to come and pray with me.”

Mason Health chaplains visit the hospital on a rotating schedule and are available on an on-call basis. The team includes Anglican Reverend David Hockaday, Buddhist Chaplain Denise Carrico, and Faith Lutheran Church Pastors Doug Peterson and Terry Oliver. Chaplains do not proselytize, and their care is always patient-directed. Each chaplain has experience providing spiritual care in a medical environment. They round with the patients on their own and connect with nurses to ask which patients might need emotional support. To request a Chaplain, patients can ask a nurse or other staff member during their visit.

“I am really enjoying getting to know the nurses, and I loved blessing their hands in a blessing ritual during National Nurses Week in May,” said Niero. “It is such a moment of gratitude to show appreciation in a blessing, for all the heavy lifting nurses hands do for so many. I carry anointing oil all the time in case someone would like their hands blessed!” 

If you are interested in learning more about Mason Health’s Chaplain program, email volunteer@masongeneral.com or visit masonhealth.com/community/volunteering to learn more. 

Mason Health, Public Hospital District No. 1 of Mason County is ISO 9001 Quality Management System certified by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and is a licensed and accredited acute care hospital with a level four emergency trauma designation. The Board of Hospital District Commissioners are Don Welander, President, Lori Brady, Secretary, and Pamela Schlauderaff, Trustee. Mason General Hospital and Mason Clinic are ENERGY STAR® certified and Mason Health is the recipient of one Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Award, three Partner for Change Awards, two Greening the Operating Room Awards, the Making Medicine Mercury Free Award, the 2025 Emerald Award, and the 2026 Greenhealth Champion Award. To learn more about Mason Health’s sustainability efforts, visit https://www.masonhealth.com/about/sustainability-environmental-stewardship. There are more than 100 physicians on staff in 19 specialties. For more information or to find a health care provider, visit www.masonhealth.com. To learn more about DNV, visit www.dnv.com/healthcare.

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