Pastoral Care
Care Notes
Quick Summary: Care Notes let you document pastoral visits, counseling sessions, and member interactions with full privacy controls. Notes are tied to member profiles and accessible only to authorized pastoral staff.
Overview
Every conversation matters in pastoral care. When you visit someone in the hospital, counsel a couple through a difficult season, or simply check in on a homebound member, documenting those interactions ensures continuity of care—especially when multiple staff members are involved.
Care Notes in Relius provide a secure, organized way to record pastoral interactions. Each note is linked to a member's profile, creating a timeline of care that helps you remember context, track progress, and coordinate with other pastoral staff.
Privacy is built into every layer. You control who can see each note, from pastor-only entries to notes shared with your entire care team.
Key Concepts
Note Types
Categorize notes by type: Hospital Visit, Home Visit, Counseling Session, Phone Call, General Check-in, Crisis Response, or custom types you define.
Privacy Levels
Private: Only you and senior pastors can view.Team: Visible to all pastoral care staff.Extended: Visible to group leaders and ministry staff.
Follow-ups
Set a follow-up date when creating a note. You'll receive a reminder to check back in, ensuring no one falls through the cracks.
Care Timeline
Each member's profile shows a chronological timeline of all care interactions, giving you instant context for every conversation.
Creating a Care Note
Step 1: Navigate to the Member
Go to People → Directory and find the member you want to add a note for. Click their name to open their profile.
Step 2: Open the Care Tab
On the member's profile, click the Care tab. You'll see their care timeline with any existing notes.
Step 3: Add a New Note
Click the + Add Note button. Fill in:
- Date: When the interaction occurred (defaults to today)
- Type: Select the type of interaction
- Privacy: Choose who can see this note
- Content: Write your note—be specific but appropriate
- Follow-up: Optionally set a reminder date
Step 4: Save
Click Save Note. The note is immediately added to the member's care timeline and your care dashboard.
Quick Add from Anywhere
You don't have to navigate to a member's profile to add a note. From the Pastoral Care dashboard, click Quick Add Note:
- Start typing the member's name—Relius will auto-suggest matches
- Select the member and fill in your note
- Save—the note is added to their profile
This is especially useful when logging multiple visits or when you're entering notes from your phone after hospital rounds.
Features
Care Dashboard
The Pastoral Care dashboard shows all recent notes, upcoming follow-ups, and members flagged for attention. Filter by note type, staff member, or date range.
Search & Filter
Search notes by keyword, member name, or note type. Need to find everyone you visited in the hospital last month? Filter by type and date range.
Advanced: Bulk Note Entry
After hospital rounds or a visitation day, use Bulk Entry to quickly log multiple notes:
- Go to Pastoral Care → Bulk Entry
- Set the default date and note type
- For each visit, type the member name, add a brief note, and press Enter
- Review all entries and click Save All
This can cut your documentation time in half on busy visitation days.
Advanced: Note Templates
Create templates for common note types to ensure consistency and save time:
- Hospital Visit: Includes fields for room number, diagnosis, family present, prayer offered
- Grief Follow-up: Structured check-in for those who've lost loved ones
- New Member Connection: First pastoral touch with new members
Create templates in Settings → Pastoral Care → Note Templates.
Advanced: Attachments & Files
Attach relevant files to care notes when needed:
- Consent forms for counseling
- Funeral service programs
- Hospital discharge instructions (for follow-up reference)
- Referral letters to/from counselors
Attachments inherit the privacy level of the note they're attached to.
Best Practices
Be specific but appropriate
Include enough detail to jog your memory: "Discussed anxiety about upcoming surgery, prayed together." Avoid unnecessary personal details.
Document within 24 hours
The longer you wait, the more details you forget. Brief notes today are more valuable than detailed notes you never write.
Always set follow-ups
Even if it's "check in next month," a follow-up date ensures you don't forget. Consistent follow-through builds trust.
Use consistent categories
Agree as a team on how to categorize notes. This makes reporting and handoffs much easier.
Common Questions
Q: Can members see their own care notes?
No. Care notes are internal pastoral documents and are never visible to the member they're about. This ensures pastors can document freely and honestly.
Q: What happens when a staff member leaves?
Notes remain in the system tied to the member's profile. The original author is recorded for reference, but the notes remain accessible to current pastoral staff.
Q: Can I export care notes for a specific member?
Yes, administrators can export a member's care timeline as a PDF. This is useful when transitioning someone to a professional counselor or in rare legal situations.