Action and Reflection

A chaplain's day begins and ends in the same way: with a group meeting where the events and the cases of the previous shift are handed off to the next. Yesterday, we hear about TGH David, a young man who was brutally beaten by a neighbor. The perpetrator is still at large, so that the real name of the patient is not recorded.

The young man, who is still a bit confused having received a big injury to his head, says that he does not want a police escort home or to change his locks. The Pastoral Team does not think he understands. I wonder how this young man could possibly get his locks changed as it is already 4:15 p.m. "Can't they just let him stay another day since he still in confused," the team wonders. One of the resident chaplains, who has been working with him over the last few days, says he will see what he can do before leaving for the day.

They discuss that there has been a breach in security with someone in the ER not following all of the procedures of patient confidentiality in giving out the TGH label. The resident says he will research what happened to see that it doesn't happen again. (Generally, it is the Pastoral Care Team member who makes that TGH designation, but procedure is changing to include other staff)

The talk is reasoned, the emphasis is on changing the outcome in the future. The bottom line is care for the patient and the staff.

I am told that this emphasis, the connection of head and heart, the development of empathy and emotionally mature behavior will become ingrained in me this summer and become a part of my personality going forward.

I hope it will be so.

Supervisor W. started his lecture on crisis ministry by telling us the classic story of the five Chinese brothers, quintuplets who each had a unique gift. After a disclaimer about racial sensitivity, he explained how the five brothers, the one who could swallow the sea, the one with the iron neck, the one with the stretchy legs, the one who could not burn, and the one who could hold his breath indefinitely, were able to escape the wrath of an angry village but impersonating each other and using their unique gifts after being unfairly accused of a crime.

All these gifts had a connection to the skills necessary for pastoral care: understanding that there are limits to our capacity (and the people we will serve) to hold the complexity of an unfolding crisis, keeping our head and body connected, keeping our feet on the ground and our head above water, the ability not to be consumed, and to understand that life is the spirit and the breath that connects us all.

At the root of this CPE is the concept of action and reflection. It calls on us to use our experience whatever it may be, successes, mistakes, heartaches, a less than adequate follow through of procedure, and reflect on it and make the necessary adjustments so that the outcome will be the best it can be.

It calls on us to remain always connected to what is going on. As I hear the news that the Gulf oil spill is nine miles from the Florida coast and that the Upper Delaware River tops the list of the rivers in America most endangered, action and reflection seem like tools that are useful beyond pastoral care.

As I ready for the day, I hope that during the morning report, we hear that TGH David had a restful night in the hospital. Otherwise, I have a feeling that we will hear about him again.