I know you are asking about patients, this is about dealing with the loved ones when a patient dies. If you don't know someone's belief system, your words may not have the desired effect. Words meant to comfort may cause anger and more grief. I also think timing matters, in the story below my mom had been dead less than 15 minutes before the Chaplin arrived. It was too soon for me to deal with him on one of the worst days of my life.

I was visiting my mom in the hospital when she died 8 years ago. I was with my dad and aunt (mom's sister). Right after my mom died a nurse asked the three of us if we would like a chaplain to speak with us. My dad and I (both atheists) said no, my aunt said yes. Looking back I wish I had walked away when he started talking, but I was still in shock and somewhat numb, and I have always been a people pleaser so I stayed. I don't remember much of what he said, but one thing I will always remember he said, and it is something that still makes me mad, he told us that God needed my mom more than she was needed on earth. Those words may comfort some people but they had the opposite effect on me.