When a cleric needs to keep track of comrades that may get separated, status allows him to mentally monitor their relative position and general condition. The cleric is aware of direction and distance to the creatures and their status: unharmed, wounded, disabled, staggered, unconscious, dying, dead, etc. Once the spell has been cast upon the subjects, the distance between them and the caster does not affect the spell as long as they are on the same plane of existence. If they leave it, the spell ceases to function for them.