When you can touch lives, you’re standing on holy ground.
A hospital is a special place to minister to those in need at a traumatic and often overwhelming time.
That’s the message that 13 college students received recently when they visited Texas Health Southwest and Texas Health Clearfork as part of their summer work with Project Transformation North Texas, a ministry of the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. College-age students serve as counselors for children to help remove poverty-related obstacles to learning. Along with their work with youth, the counselors spend one day a week visiting Metroplex businesses to help them discover a vocation where they can put their interests and abilities to work.
This is the second year for Texas Health Southwest to host Vocational Discernment Day for the student counselors who are interested in health care. It was an eye-opener for the students, according to Mary Ellen Barrow, manager of pastoral care at Texas Health Southwest.
The day started with a reflection in the rooftop garden at Texas Health Clearfork. “During the reflection, I told the students that anytime we as God’s representatives minister to people in the hospital, no matter what our job, we are on holy ground, and we ought to take off our shoes,” Mary Ellen said. “One student did just that, putting her shoes back on before going into the hospital.”
Texas Health Clearfork Chaplain Reggie Cade discussed a hospital chaplain’s education and credentialing process, and gave the students insights to his work with surgical patients in an orthopedic specialty hospital — what’s known as a Ministry of Presence.
“We love patients, families and staff, get to know them and pray with them,” Reggie said. “It’s pastoral care by walking around.”
The students then donned surgical gear to tour an operating room, followed by the opportunity to discuss health care careers and hospital life with Nilsy Odicio, B.S.N., ONC, CMSRN, Orthopedic medical-surgical nurse manager; Paige Pritchett, L.M.S.W., M.H.A., Orthopedic service line coordinator; and volunteer Bill Peters.
After traveling to Texas Health Southwest and attending chapel service, the students toured hospital areas such as Rehabilitation Services and Radiology, according to their interests.
“This was an opportunity to connect dreaming people with people who are living that dream,” Mary Ellen said. “This helped the students confirm their choice and consider the education and training involved.”
Watching a CareFlite helicopter land at the hospital added to the experiences of a busy day, which was capped by a panel discussion with hospital leaders.
Chaplain Reggie Cade set the tone at the beginning of the day for how vocational discernment can help guide students’ lives.
Pointing to the view of the Trinity River from Texas Health Clearfork, he said, “Look at this as your future. You can go wherever you want to go by God’s leadership and blessing — and today can be the beginning of that journey.”
by Andy Wilson • Posted August 10, 2018
