As cases of the novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) climb in hospitals across the state, chaplains are finding new ways to continue offering spiritual care and compassionate support to those who need it most.
Tanner Health System chaplains Joannah Cook, M.Div, BCC (pictured left), and Faith Johnson, M.Div., LPC (pictured right), are answering their calling and lending their support and services in the health system’s hospitals.
“These are difficult times for a lot of people, and a lot of our work right now is focused on trying to support our staff, our patients and their families,” Cook said. “Currently, our main way of providing spiritual care is through making phone calls to patients and holding daily conference calls for Tanner staff who would like to join us to pray.”
In addition to prayer, Tanner chaplains are offering up daily words of encouragement and inspiration through social media to the health system’s healthcare teams on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis.
“We want to remind them that we will get through this, that God will watch over us,” Cook said. “We want to remind them that we’re thinking of them and praying for them and their families, too. We want to let them know how special they are to be doing this job right now.”
She has also coordinated with local churches to write “thank you” cards for Tanner staff members, whom Cook called her heroes because of the sacrifices they are making and their commitment to stand on the front lines every day to care for the people in their community.
“They are in this situation with this very contagious virus, but their calling to provide care for our patients is the highest calling — and they aren’t shying away from that,” Cook said. “They’ve been called on to heal others, and I don’t think there is a time when that calling has been as magnified as it is now.”
Cook added that even when the pandemic is over, her duty as a chaplain to provide spiritual care and emotional support will be vital as ever.
“Right now, everybody is so involved with their particular role and all they are doing to help people that they aren’t taking time to consider their own emotional wellbeing,” Cook said. “There will be a point after the crisis has passed where people are going to have the space to deal with their emotional pain and suffering. Our job as chaplains will be key when that time comes.”
These past few weeks have been particularly difficult for many patients and families, too, where social distancing orders and hospital visitor restrictions preclude some families from visiting their loved ones.
“We spend time speaking with patients and families to share words of comfort and reassurance, especially for the patients who are at the end of life,” Cook said. “Fortunately, our hospitals are allowing visitors for patients who are at the end of life. I coordinate with our palliative care team so I can try as best as I can to be present to meet with those patient’s family when they come in.”
When she speaks with individuals — whether they’re patients, families or staff members — she said a few encouraging messages have remained constant.
“We can have hope, no matter the circumstance,” Cook said. “That’s what I’m hearing when I talk with grieving families or patients. Some have said that without their faith, they would not be able to get through this. And those who weren’t particularly religious or those who didn’t really consider themselves spiritual have said the practice of love and kindness is what gives them hope.”
She added that though times are challenging, Tanner’s chaplains are holding fast to those same messages of love, encouragement and spirituality — for the sake of patients, families, healthcare workers and the communities they serve — because they know that hope can be found in even the most challenging times.
“It has been difficult for us to do our jobs,” Cook said. “Faith and I miss not being able to be present to see patients and their families. We miss not being able to be with them physically, to see their faces, to sense and feel them. This really limits us — but we will get through it and we will not be deterred.”
Tanner’s chaplains remain ready to help Tanner’s patients and the community in every way possible — just like the health system’s emergency departments.
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