Rev. Mike Leagnans, Sr.

The Chaplain is…

A patient is in distress over the fear of dying. The family arrives at the hospital after a call that a loved one has been in an accident. The mother wants her baby baptized. These are all examples of issues that the chaplain deals with on a regular basis. The chaplain is… a comforter.

An accident hits close to a unit, the staff are now dealing with the emotions of receiving the news that a co-worker is not doing well. The stress of dealing with very critical patients day after day, week after week, is now causing a team member to lash out and lose control of their emotions.
The Chaplain is… a counselor.

A family member quietly cries in the corner of a waiting room. A staff member looses a patient. A friend deals with personal issues of addiction…
The Chaplain is … a friend.

There are many roles a chaplain will play throughout their workday. Some days it is calm and the issues are manageable, other days the whirlwind never stops. The chaplain presents a calm presence with the goal of being all things to all people in their time of need. Now this might sound a bit out of proportion but in the big picture the chaplain must be able to serve in a multidisciplinary arena while keeping an ever present, visible presentation of reality, trust and hope. What an honor it is to serve in such a capacity. To be able to enter into so many different situations, to enter into so many lives. When done correctly, it can leave a lifelong impression of an institution, a nursing unit, a single person.

The chaplain is… a servant that strives to bring hope, understanding and spirituality into a situation that will have a long lasting impact on all that are involved. The desire to walk beside a person who is straddling the fence between acceptance of the reality and a total disconnect from the world and everyone in it. To present yourself to a total stranger or your closest friend can set you up for great disappointment or the greatest reward you will ever experience.

The chaplain is… a resource that is available to anyone at any time for reflection, direction or just company. The shoulder to cry on, the hand to hold or the ears to listen, the true need is supplied. Sometimes the true need is easy to identify by just observing the person and the situation – if someone is crying bring tissues. Other times the true need is buried deep inside one's heart. The family of a successful suicide may need tissues too, but will also need the opportunity to vent, to express themselves, to get some kind of direction. This might take a long time and sometimes the chaplains don't get this blessing of time. So, it is in times like these that our brief encounters with families and patients are greatly dependent on our ability to assess and identify areas of greatest need and to assist the families or patient in investigating these areas with the safety and confidence that they will be all right. This skill takes a long time to develop and even longer to master, but is one of the greatest areas of impact we have with those whom we come into contact every day.

The chaplain is … a student that never stops learning. The practice of chaplaincy may not have a library full of texts that help teach chaplaincy; instead the chaplain learns from every encounter, every emotion, every frustration and every success. Is there a better classroom than the real thing? To be one-on-one with a person who needs you, or better yet, with someone who doesn't know they need you… yet. The art of communication, the skill of leading, the desire to better oneself makes the chaplain a lifelong student of the experience.

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