Guy Venezia

Text version of Guy Venezia's keynote remarks

I am thankful for the tremendous leadership at Kirkwood, who is fostering a change in our culture. They have encouraged and supported one of our quality initiatives to improve the St. Joseph’s Obstetrical department.
Many of the ideas I will be sharing are certainly easier to state than to live them out daily. There are days I am thankful for God’s grace in my shortcomings. 

St. Joseph’s OB STAT Response Team is a multidisciplinary group of physicians, nurses, and support staff who receive timely communication and follow a predetermined process to expedite quality care.

You can learn more about the logistics of this “first of its type” innovative team at the exhibit display.  I want to focus on another important aspect of quality process development, which emphasizes the mission of SSM – “revealing the healing presence of God.”

This visionary mission is accomplished through the OB STAT Response Team’s use of multiple interdepartmental staff.  When an OB emergency is called, pastoral care is immediately notified and meets with the patient’s family.  This gives the family a chance to be comforted in real time as the emergency is occurring.  I have been pushing a mother to the OR in an emergency and watched a Father fall to his knees in the hallway and cry out in despair.  Having Pastoral care immediately available is a small beginning!

This attention to exceptional care is what the Sisters are calling us to pay attention to; that involves relationships.  Life is really about relationships and how we express our Love in those relationships.  God can accomplish uncommon works through common deeds or a simple beginning.   You may grow weary at times when you think there is no way to make a difference.  Scripture explains in Zechariah “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”  We all have the ability to begin a small work, that through our hands, God can transform a person, department,  hospital, or organization.

Some other small beginnings I employ to inspire relationship building include; giving out candy/stickers to children when a mother arrives, giving encouragement cards to Housekeepers/Nurses, and developing Department Picture Contests.  We have a dedicated Picture Contest Board, where every other month employees bring in personal pictures to represent their voice/personality.  These common deeds develop into uncommon works that improve morale and relationships. 

These common deeds really reveal our desire to Love. 

All our conversations with people really occur on two levels.  One level is the surface level, such as discussing the weather or sports.  But the more important conversation taking place at the same time, is the conversation we are having on a heart level.  People know if you respect or care about them, and they get that sense on the heart level conversation taking place.  We need to carry on both our surface and heart level conversations in Truth and Love. 

These are very humbling ideas; some of us will wonder if we have made a significant difference, our founding Catholic Sisters don’t have that problem!  They have set the standard for allowing God to do Uncommon Works through Common Deeds!

The Sisters are now asking us to be the next generation of inspired people to “Carry On” and to “reveal the healing presence of God”.