Spiritual Care Practices for the Organization and Staff

Rev. Gina Bethune, Director of Chaplain Services / Clinical Pastoral Education; Seton Healthcare Family

Dr. Leigh Fredholm, AMEP Palliative Care; Seton Healthcare FamilyKaren McCarthy, RN, MSN, APN; Seton Healthcare Family

Sara McGinnis Lee, Project Specialist, Workplace Spirituality; Ascension HealthJune 12, 2013

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Our perspective

• Palliative Care leaders in a local Health Ministry

• Spiritual Care leader in a local Health Ministry

• Workplace Spirituality leader in a National Health Ministry

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Objectives

• To explore practices that offer spiritual support to organizations and staff, including rituals, blessings, debriefings and discernments.

• To reflect on the need for and impact of such practices, especially as pertains to clinical staff.

• To share spiritual practices for staff from one’s own organization, in dialogue with peers.

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Workplace Spirituality and Ascension Health

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Symbolize the significance and spirituality of each associate, the holistic care they provide, and their role in our Mission. Celebrate our identity as a Catholic healthcare ministry. Organizational rituals assist in establishing order, reaffirming meaning, bonding community, handling ambivalence and encountering mystery.

RITUALS

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God, grant me the serenity to accept the things which cannot be changed and the courage to change the things which I can …. And the wisdom to know the difference.As you begin your day, acknowledge the things that are frustrating, depleting your energy or distracting you from bringing your best self to work. Take a deep breathe and try to release all that you have no control to change this day.Spend a moment thinking of one thing you can do to make a difference in this healing ministry today. Commit yourself to this action. Know our mission can be achieved through your caring words and acts of kindness.

Mission Messages

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Commissioning

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Associate Recommitment Ceremony

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Values Recognition Awards

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BLESSINGS

Blessings allow us to pray for and with one another in our shared ministry. They create a healing environment through spiritual and emotional support.

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Blessing of Hands

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A Blessing of HandsHigh Reliability Healing Leadership Retreat

University Medical Center Brackenridge

We gather now to offer a blessing and to invoke God’s presence to abide with us in all the spaces of UMCB - in all the places where we do our daily work. We ask blessing upon each person here today that they may be renewed in their daily work as a leader of this healing team.Leader: Today we notice our hands. Hands so different and yet the same. Hands that work for healing.

People: Today we notice our hands. Hands that rock babies and bathe them. Hands that clean floors and change linens. Hands that offer a cup of water. Hands that hold other hands.

Leader: Today we notice our hands. Hands formed by the Source of Life. Hands that risk touching others. Hands that beckon the broken and sick, hurting and vulnerable to connections which bring comfort and peace.

People: Today we notice our hands. Hands that draw blood and change dressings. Hands that manage daily tasks with ease and those that struggle to find the right way. Hands that blot the forehead with cool cloths.

Leader: Today we notice our hands. Hands that are steady in emergencies. Hands that shake with excitement. Hands that restore and heal.

People: Today we notice our hands. Hands that bring comfort. Hands that wipe away tears. Hands that adjust IVs and teach and heal. Hands that type and assist and plan. Hands that figure and calculate.

All: Today we notice our hands, all that we touch, and all that touches us. We notice the ways we bless each other. In the ways we live out the gift of this very day.

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Prayer Net

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Tranquility Spaces

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DEBRIEFINGS

Debriefings provide staff the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of their work, to grieve, to celebrate, and to recognize experiences of the transcendent in healthcare. They assist in developing relationships and building a Model Community reflective of our Values.

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Memorial Services

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Renewal Experiences

• Retreat Days

• Cultivating Reverence for Living

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Work-life Stress, Balance and Renewal

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Providing Holistic Reverent Care Trainings

SelfAwareness

Awarenessof Others

SelfManagement

RelationshipManagement

• Identifying triggers• Self Care • Knowing me

• CALM approach

• Recognizing levelsof anxiety• Understanding

regression

• De-escalation• Responses at

different anxiety levels• BATHE approach

1. Self Soothing

2. Self Defining

3. Self -Transcending

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DISCERNMENTS

Discernment involves shared reflection with staff on the spiritual needs of individuals and the organization, and corresponding actions. Discernment weaves spirituality into strategic and operational processes, decisions and actions.

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Rounding

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Leadership Retreats

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Finding Heart in Your Work

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Hearing the Perspective of Multidisciplinary Team Members

• What potential do you see for these individual and organizational ideas to make a difference in the work-life of associates?

• What other things have you experienced that encourage mission, spirituality and well-being for associates?

• Describe some of the challenges you see for hard-wiring some of these practices?

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What else?

• What are the spiritual needs of your organization and staff?

• Please share experiences of providing spiritual care to your organization and staff that you believe have been meaningful.