Nurturing Caregivers with 'Tea for the Soul'

The BCH Spiritual Care Team brought tea, snacks and comfort recently to the respiratory therapists at Foothills Hospital as part of their 'Tea for the Soul' program.

Every month the chaplains invite staff and caregivers from different hospital departments to take a break for an hour for their 'Tea for the Soul' program where they sit down, drink tea and talk together about coping strategies and resiliency.

"We see a lot from the emergency room and patients at end-of-life and this is so nice because as chaplains they give you a chance to talk and debrief about some of these experiences," said Jennifer Phillips, a respiratory therapist at Foothills Hospital who attended a recent tea.

Hospital chaplains usually work with patients facing end-of-life care and their families. But the men and women who make up the spiritual care and palliative care team at BCH also wanted to provide support to hospital caregivers and staff.

"It's just a chance to nurture them," said Courtney Gambrell, an assistant chaplain at BCH. "The recognition is really important whether it's the food services department or the environment services department that help clean the rooms," she said. "Everyone provides a valuable service to the hospital."

"It's fantastic," said Marie Arneson, a respiratory therapist at Foothills Hospital. "It feels like they're acknowledging the staff and it's just a chance to unwind from the stress."

For the chaplains, participating in the program provides a deep connection with the caregivers at BCH, giving their work deeper meaning.

"I love working at BCH," said chaplain Vincent Hayes," I wouldn't want to work with any other team. I've never worked anywhere that I've been so happy."

Photo: BCH Chaplains Courtney Gambrell and Vincent Hayes