Pastoral Care staff valued by
patients, staff
by Cindy
AbolePublic Relations
Each day, the Pastoral Care Services team provides what most MUSC hospital patients and their families would consider a saintly service. Their presence and support provide comfort and spiritual healing to patients and families during the darkest of days.
When the group was recognized as the medical center’s best for overall staff satisfaction in a support services department last quarter, their collective spirits soared and floated on cloud nine.
MUSC Pastoral Care
Services team: Chaplain Terry L. Wilson, manager, chaplains Mel
Williams; George Rossi, Lynn Brown, Chris Brown, JohnBosco Ikemeh,
temporary chaplains: Jim Brown; Dr. Don Flowers, Danny Reed, Sherry
Teves, Fred Thompson, Sue Krayer, Gerig Huggins and Grace Close,
administrative assistant. Also pictured are Therapeutic Services’ June
Darby, Connie Algae, Nancy Davidson and Eva Petenbrink.Pastoral Care Services received the highest rating among 70 support departments as in the hospital’s latest MUSC Excellence Internal Customer (employee) Survey. The ecumenical team was presented with a Excellence banner from the medical center’s Reward & Recognition Team Aug. 15.
“I work with a talented, professional and committed staff,” said Terry Wilson, staff chaplain and manager. “I’m constantly amazed at what they’re able to do day-in and day-out. As a tertiary care center, we really see all the tough cases and situations—bad traumas, disease and severe illness. They come to us, and our Pastoral Care staff is committed to help them in every way possible.”
For more than a dozen years, this staff has committed its presence throughout the medical center by attending to the spiritual, emotional and psychological well-being of patients, their families, staff and employees. They offer this through spiritual support, prayer, scripture reading, religious acts and observances. They support visiting clergy and provide a daily prayer service at the medical center chapel (Room 462-D), as well as memorial and seasonal services at St. Luke’s Chapel, Hollings Cancer Center Chapel, and after it opens, in the new Ashley River Tower Chapel.
For their daily efforts, these six full-time chaplains and support staff can be considered MUSC’s own band of earthly angels.
“This is a very positive, spirited group,” said June Darby, director of Therapeutic Services who oversees the team’s hospital-wide support. “They highly demonstrate qualities of MUSC Excellence in all areas of service from times of crisis to daily activities. They truly are the model example of a premiere support organization throughout the medical center. And they do this with grace and positiveness. They’re such a joy to work with.”
Darby credits their success by starting at the top. Wilson’s leadership sets an example that Darby believes comes genuinely from the heart and the team’s easy relationship with clinical staff and patients.
“We’ve seen an evolution and growth in the area of professional clinical pastoral care services at MUSC,” Wilson said. With a limited staff and a growing patient base to cover, the team’s everyday challenge is to provide nonstop support for all in-patient and some outpatient areas throughout the medical center.
Also helpful has been the ability to organize their schedules around a 24/7 on-call schedule that allow chaplains enough time to complete their daily activities, which includes providing spiritual support to patients and clinical care teams, as well as responding to emergencies.
“Our mindset is framed around a servant’s attitude of obedience, duty, commitment, humility and respect. It is what each of us strives for,” Wilson said. “These are the same qualities that are taught, encouraged and practiced by employees through MUSC Excellence, which I believe captures the true sense of a servant’s heart. If we are patient-centered in our thoughts and actions, then we truly have the best interest of the patient in mind.”
And when the going gets tough, how do those who minister to others cope and find comfort? “We pastor and attend to each other,” Wilson said, speaking about the team’s daily debriefing process. “Staff administrative assistant Grace Close is invaluable to us for that reason. Talking things out can be a very nurturing and peaceful process for anyone.”
Throughout the hospital, fellow clinical staff members are quick to sing the team’s praises. Even within the busy patient bays of the Surgical Trauma Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit, nurse manager Tom Hubbard and staff express support of the Pastoral Care team.
“Serving this patient population can be difficult at times. No one has the foresight to see the future and predict the outcome after an accident or emergency,” Hubbard said. “We’ve always considered the Pastoral Care staff as an important part of our team. They’re among the first people we call to assist patients and the nursing staff. They play an important role in caring for patients and their families by serving as that link for family to communicate, assist in making important decisions or offer spiritual guidance and comfort when needed. We can’t provide excellent care without them.”
MICU nurse educator Perette Sabatino echoed the appreciation.
“Staff know and understand the dynamics that can occur with our patients,” Sabatino said. “The chaplains are always open and receptive to talking with staff when they need to cope through situations. Despite whatever the outcome, they never judge us and constantly remind us that it’s OK to be yourself.”
MICU nurse Diana Taylor-Hunt reflected on the team’s invaluable service.
“Patients come from far away to receive their care at MUSC. Many people are a long way from home and family and need comfort especially during a particularly anxious time,” Taylor-Hunt said. “The team is trained and skilled to handle everyone’s needs. They’re respectful of multiple religious beliefs and skilled at talking with people of all cultures and backgrounds. I don’t know where we’d be without them. They’re truly a real blessing.”
For information, visit their Web site at http://www.musc.edu/pastoralcare/.
Friday, Oct. 12, 2007
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