St Andrew's Hospital

Health

Along with the entire Health Sector, St Andrew’s Hospital has faced a number of challenges since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. These include, periodic limits to elective surgery, reductions in the number of patients and visitors, increased screening measures for patients and visitors, and increased levels of wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all staff, patients and volunteers.

On a number of occasions one of the social hubs at St Andrew’s (the Coffee Shop) has been closed due to restrictions on volunteers attending the hospital. In all of this staff have, at times, needed to work above and beyond their normal duties. The chaplaincy response within this period, rather than implementing new initiatives, has been to maintain a sense of ‘less anxious presence’ and ‘availability’ to staff, volunteers, patients and their families. The Coordinating Chaplain (Rev Peter Morel) has continued to offer personal support, as well as the normal Grief and Loss Education for Graduate Nurses and 6th Year Medical students. He also assists in presenting ‘Resilience and Self Care’ awareness within the Orientation Program for new staff. Peter maintains that opportunities in the role of chaplaincy emerge most often from having ‘one conversation at a time,’ rather than relying on a series of programs. As with many of our chaplains, this is a ministry of ‘being present’ and thus being able to respond as needed. At St Andrew’s Hospital, this is an integral role within the delivery of holistic care for our patients, and support for all staff.