Francine K. Zabkar, R.N., on blessing and being blessed

"Chain of Care"

The “Blessing of the Hands” is a ritual practiced in some healthcare settings. It is one way of affirming and empowering individuals in their healing care. The service entails a simple blessing of one’s hands for care. Our Chaplain, Tom Brenner, BCC, then anoints both hands with oil. It is a brief ceremony, taking only a moment or two, so that a busy employee can get back to the bedside of their patient.

This year, as I sat and visited with Chaplain Brenner, I noticed employees coming into the Chapel either as a group or individually. The service itself was Interfaith – all faith traditions were welcome. It was available to everyone: nurses, physicians, environmental services, dietary aides, as well as our beloved and dedicated volunteers. No one was left out. Everyone is an important part of our “Chain of Care.”

This ceremony began at our Cape Coral Hospital in 1995, during Pastoral Care Week, as an expression of gratitude from our Spiritual Services Department. I learned that originally it focused on nurses only. Then the interest grew from different departments and they were encouraged to join in. Now the chapel is filled with an abundance of variant personalities, which lends new meaning to our "Blessing of the Hands" Service.

After my hands were anointed by Chaplain Brenner, we sat together and talked about the meaning of the Blessing of the Hands ceremony. While I sat with him many employees came to have their hands blessed. Chaplain Brenner would stand up and take his place in front of the altar. Employees would gather around him, extending their hands, palms up. Each verbalized their own reasons for wanting the blessing:

- An Operating Room Nurse wanted to “feel the need to observe through ‘hands-on’ technique”;
- A Progressive Care Nurse who used her hands to help her patients to improve and advance in the developmental way that the physician intends;
- A surgeon hoped that the ‘Blessing of the Hands’ would be a part of his skills as he worked to aid in the healing of his patients;
- A person from Accounting who dealt with indigent patients was concerned with the need for their bills to be ‘taken care of’;
- An Environmental Control employee felt that she needed to have her ‘hands blessed’ so that she could provide a “safe environment” for each patient.
- Our Dietary Aide felt that by having her hands blessed, and then passing trays, she could help ‘heal’ each patient by fulfilling the doctor’s order for nutrition.

This is what Chaplain Brenner said:

In appreciation for all that you do for our patients and their families, I bless and anoint your hands, in the name of our Creator God.* Amen.

May the Spirit of the Almighty fill your hands with strength and love to protect and heal your patients in all that you do.

May it help you to carry on in times of stress and hopelessness as well as in times of joy.

May your hands be those hands to nurture young patients, console despondent families, heal through nutrition, and pray with your patient and their families.

May you help to keep their environment clean and pleasant, offer to do whatever it takes to help them achieve their needs, relieve their worries by assisting the financial part of their hospital visit.

Amen.

*or other faith tradition as appropriate.

While watching Chaplain Brenner anoint my fellow employees, a warm feeling came over me. The glow of faith in their faces and the love in their hearts came bursting out! Heads were bowed as if one, when Chaplain Brenner’s meaningful words of prayer were reflected upon. It brought new meaning to the phrase "Chain of Care" that we promote here at Cape Coral.

Do you have thoughts about professional practice you’d like to share with your colleagues? Send an e-mail info@PlainViews.org.