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Scott Webb: This is Mission In Action, a podcast from St. Mary's Healthcare in Athens, Georgia, focusing on patient-centered care under our mission to be a transforming healing presence within our communities. Hi, this is Julie Carter, Vice President for Mission Services, bringing you an installment of Word Indeed, where we visit with colleagues from around St. Mary's Healthcare System to hear their experience working within our ministry. Today, I'll introduce you to three colleagues working in Security at St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital. Mark Swanson, Joshua Bugg, and Ryan Scheller reflect on a culture of service, teamwork and being present to those who experience loss. They demonstrate that every colleague, no matter the position they hold, plays an important part in our healing work. Enjoy.

Ryan Scheller (Guest): Hi, my name is Ron Scheller. I work at Good Samaritan. My role is a Public Safety Officer.

Host: How long have you been here?

Ryan: By March, I'll be here for about a year.

Host: And what's it been like your first year here?

Ryan: It's been amazing. Far better than what I'm used to. This place is completely different from what I'm used to working in. Different environment. Everybody's very supportive, very amazing bosses. They always have your back.

Host: Is there any experience in this past year that really stands out to you as something different?

Ryan: Is the amount of teamwork everybody shows. you ask for support, you know, they're always there to like split second to help you versus what I'm used to is you're on your own, even from your employers, when you have a problem, like you figure it out. Here it is nothing like that.

Host: And that's pretty important during a pandemic, you know, when everybody is stressed and pulled in a million directions. Yeah. So how how are your interactions like with visitors patients? Do you have much contact with them?

Ryan: bit. It, it varies. Lot of them are very passionate, very appreciative for our support here. might get some grumpy people, but you know, I guess they're not used to the pandemic, so it probably, you know, affects them in different ways, you know. And they they're lashing now. They're just, you know, they're wanting help like right then and right now, and sometimes, it takes time to get to them. So, we do the best we can to help them, you know, get what they need.

Host: Even the grumpy ones. Right?

Ryan: Even the grumpy ones.

Host: Yeah Especially the grumpy ones. Sometimes they need a little more attention. Is there any particular joy that you find with your role here?

Ryan: I feel a lot more peace with myself than I ever did before. no stress at all. Always waking up, you know, ready to go to work, looking forward to going to work.

Host: That's a game changer, right?

Ryan: It really is. Because in the past I just so stressed out, just like my wake up, you know, I know I'm going to walk into the next day or if I really don't want to go to work. But here I never feel that anymore.

Host: Well, thank you. Is there anything else you think of that you want to touch on?

Ryan: recommend this, this hospital to everyone out there, especially for employment.

Mark Swanson (Guest): Hello, my name is Mark Swanson. I'm the Security Manager at Good Samaritan Hospital. I've been here about two and a half years and I love And why, what makes you happy?

Mark: Well, the environment. Yeah, family environment is important. I came here, that was very important to me to come in an atmosphere where I'm comfortable. I can say hello to everyone. I can smile. And it's just, it's been like home.

Host: Do you think that fact that we're a ministry, that we have certain core values driving us, how does that play into your work?

Mark: So I was a government employee for years, and to come into a corporate environment with the ministry was phenomenal. It's new to me and I love it I'm still learning every day. And i'll keep learning.

Host: And what do you find most gratifying with your role?

Mark: Seeing the smile on everyone's face, whether it's patients, whether it's employee, whether it's an angry visitor, it doesn't matter if they can leave with a smile. I'm happy.

Host: That's beautiful.

Joshua Bugg (Guest): My name is Joshua Bugg. I have been here at St. Mary's Samaritan Hospital for about a year and a half. My role is Security, and I just love working at St. Mary's because of the family atmosphere that we have here at St. Mary's. It's, you know, everybody is wonderful. they love each other, we look out for each other and, you know, as security, I just love coming in and being a service, not only to the patients, but the colleagues here and just serving the people here.

tell me, what's the hardest thing about your job?

The hardest part about this job would probably be dealing with death. Yeah, because families coming here, they're, they're high emotions. they're losing somebody. to be able to help comfort. And there was death, you know, is probably the hardest part And how do you, reach out to somebody who's dealing with something like that?

How are you present to them? I be servicing, I do anything. I can pray with them, give a word of encouragement, say, I'm sorry. You know, if there's anything we can do to the staff to help you, just to reach out. And to that word of encouragement goes a long ways. can make all the difference in getting through that day.

Yeah. you wouldn't believe how many, family members except that, you know, just that, that wherever occurs. and that's probably not part of your job description, but it's part of, going above and beyond. And what about the joys? the chosen me and I love just coming in and, you know, saying good morning to every, you know, everybody, you guys walking around all day long and just get to interact with people.

You know, even from the patients to the staff. So it's just, it's a joy to be able to come into a workplace. And I'm one of those Christian that even holds either Christian values. And then, to be able to pray freely with folks, speak freely about God. So this majority to us.

We appreciate deeply. I love working here. It's it's I don't see myself going anywhere else. That's good to hear music to my ears. Thank you, Josh.