Gaylord Chaplaincy: Listening to the “Chatter under the Chatter”

Gaylord’s chaplains play a vital role in supporting both patients and staff. Rev. Joy Christi Przestwor, a former Roman Catholic nun, ministers to patients and staff of every faith and no faith, offering the sacrament to Catholics, saying prayers, or simply helping a patient reach his shoes.

Przestwor's way of bringing light focuses on being present during moments of struggle. She purposely chose one of her shifts to be from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. "This allows her to capture time with third shift staff who historically feel left out of a lot of what transpires during the day," says Lee Golembiewski, manager of process improvement. Nighttime can also be hard for patients after a long day of therapy or feeling lonely after family or friends have gone home. Przestwor’s presence and availability afford a sense of calm and the opportunity to talk for patients and staff alike.

By paying attention to "the chatter under the chatter" — the little conversations happening underneath the main hubbub — who is engaged, who is pregnant, and who is hoping to get a promotion – Przestwor can connect with staff or hear about patients who might be in need of extra support. A request may seem simple, but having spiritual support can mean the world to someone. For example, one morning, a nurse asked for prayer for her friend's little girl who had lost one of her guinea pigs. 

After working in various facilities, Przestwor says, "What is unique at Gaylord is that everyone is focused on the patient. We deal with those feelings if the patient is fearful, irritable, frustrated, or angry. We don't bury them. We try to get patients to express themselves. The nurses and the docs are fabulous at helping patients with that. They'll sit down, let the patient vent, and then give them some alternative way of handling it. The mindfulness program we have adopted in the hospital is helpful because we have people trained from all areas in the hospital."