KERNERSVILLE, N.C. — Hospitals are rarely a desirable place to be for patients and their families, but chaplains are often there with encouragement or condolences.
"Hospitalizations can be a difficult time. They're a time of uncertainty, a time of sometimes pain and sometimes a sense of darkness," said David Howard a chaplain at Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center.
Howard and 40 other Novant Health chaplains are often a voice in that darkness.
Now, they're speaking to patients and families with more distance than usual.
"In many cases, we'll pick up the phone and call them on the telephone or if possible, sometimes we'll stand in the door and speak with patients," said Howard.
Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center, like many other hospitals, is restricting visitors, but families are allowed to visit dying patients. Some other hospitals are not allowing that at all due to coronavirus concerns.
David Howard is there for those families, too.
"Sometimes, standing outside the room and them knowing that you're there is an important part of what we do as chaplains," said Howard.
He said many aspects of his job haven't changed but wearing a mask or counseling someone wearing a mask can be hard because he can't see their facial expressions.
Coronavirus is creating anxiety outside the hospital as well. He's also talking to health care workers who continue to fight the virus daily.
"They're still trying to figure out exactly what's going on. They are very much on the forefront or the frontlines of it, so they see it a little more personally than some other folks out there," said Howard.
He said this is a time when faith--in whatever you believe in--can make a difference. Howard finds comfort in Psalm 23.
"In the midst of sometimes walking through very, very dark and difficult places, God is with us, God walks with us in this journey," said Howard.
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