Monday, June 17th at 7:30am - Today marks the start of week 3 of my CPE internship. CPE stands for Clinical Pastoral Education and is a training program that prepares theological students (or other folks who feel called to chaplaincy) for providing spiritual care. Spiritual care is similar to pastoral care except that it is more expansive; spiritual care empowers chaplains and patients to recall what spirituality means to them, what brings them hope, peace, joy, and meaning. Of course my faith and my beliefs are rooted in my PCUSA, Christian theology, and that informs how I provide spiritual. But as a chaplain in a public setting, I provide spiritual care to/for/with people across the spirituality spectrum. My CPE preceptor's (which seems to be the medical-setting word for "supervisor") goal for CPE interns is that we discern what "spirituality" means to us. My preceptor believes that by knowing what "spirituality" means to us, we'll be able to serve with and alongside anyone --- to help them uncover and unpack what spirituality looks like for them.
Often, CPE is conducted in healthcare settings like hospitals, which is where my CPE program takes place. Over 10 weeks, I will complete 300 clinical hours (in the hospital), attend 12 hours of class per week, and read and write quite a bit as I complete homework for two classes. At my CPE program, we are assigned a unit where we will spend 220 out of our 300 hours over the summer. My assigned unit is the Neonatology ICU (NICU) and the Birther-Infant unit, which is for both people who are on bedrest before giving birth and for postpartum care. For the other 80 clinical hours, I will be on duty (which is like being on-call except it's 12 hour shifts at the hospital where you are awake and actively working) throughout the entire hospital. At VCU Health, my CPE site, the Spiritual Care Team (chaplains) responds to all traumas (we're a Trauma Level 1 hospital), all deaths, all code blues, and are available 24/7 by request. We engage in spiritual care with patients, families, and all hospital staff.
For my St. Andrew Presbyterian family, you'll probably find this fact about my CPE program to be the neatest of all --- Every day at CPE, I work alongside Elizabeth Smith-Bartlett, who grew up at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. Elizabeth is not my preceptor so I don't spend a ton of time with her, but I see her almost daily. It's a joy to have a connection to St. Andrew and to work alongside someone who knows my home church so well. Just last week Elizabeth and I had lunch and I asked if I could adopt her as a Mentor. What a gift!
The time is 8:00am so I am headed to class at the College of Health Professions, which is just a 10 minute walk from the hospital. We have class on Mondays and Wednesdays and do clinicals on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and weekends. I have more to say about where I've seen God at the hospital (which is everywhere!) and all that I've already learned. So I'll work on another blog post soon.
For now, let this be your reminder that you are beloved. CPE is teaching me a ton. One thing that keeps coming up is the reminder that each day on this Earth is a gift from God. Thank y'all for the unconditional love and support. I appreciate your prayers always, but especially for me during this emotionally, mentally, and physically intense summer of my CPE internship, and for all the folks at the hospital.
Blessings,
Caitlin
