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The Sacred Vocation Program

Rediscovering meaning in healthcare work

The Sacred Vocation Program is offered with permission of the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics at UTHealth Houston. The original Sacred Vocation Program was conceptualized and developed by Rabbi Samuel Karff, Drs. Benjamin C. Amick III and Jessica Tullar for health care workers. It has been revised for a professional audience by Sylvia Villarreal, Rebecca Lunstroth, and Drs. Thomas Cole and Kelli Cohen Fein.

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The Sacred Vocation program is designed to help healthcare workers struggling with compassion fatigue and burnout reconnect with the deeper meaning in their work. In the demanding world of healthcare, it’s easy to lose sight of the "why" that originally fueled the passion. This program offers a path to regain that sense of purpose, empowering healthcare professionals to rediscover the joy and fulfillment in their roles.

How The Sacred Vocation Program works

Through five facilitated sessions, I create a safe, confidential space for healthcare professionals to share their experiences and challenges. Together, we explore how to transform daily interactions into opportunities for healing, rather than adding to the stress.

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By focusing on self-empowerment and personal choice, participants regain control over their work environments and learn to choose healing responses in every situation. Each session builds toward a greater understanding of the powerful impact healthcare professionals can have when they reconnect with their sense of purpose.

→   Session 1: Discovering Meaning
→   Session 2: Discovering Healing Interactions
→   Session 3: Discovering Harming Interactions
→   Session 4: Creating Coping Tips
→   Session 5: Creating a Sacred Vocation Oath

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At the end of the Sacred Vocation program, you’ll experience a graduation ceremony where you will recite your oath in front of your leaders. You will then be recognized in the organization as a graduate of this program.

FAQs

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  • Mentoring
    Pilot programs/outcomes Role of mentor Role of mentee Structured approach options Topics to focus on Tools to develop conversations Setting meeting cadences Literature (what does the evidence say?)
  • Communication Strategies
    Selecting which updates to send Creative examples of keeping thousands up to date Staying in tune with frontline: open door, coffee, etc. Leader rounding New technology to use Generational differences Best practice examples
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  • Career Coaching for Nurses
    The 1:1 Career Coaching program is designed for nurses, nurse leaders and nurse entrepreneurs who want to advance their careers, but may struggle with networking, career progression or starting their own business. Through personalized coaching, I provide professional guidance and mentoring tailored to your specific goals. Apply for coaching
  • Speaking & Podcast Interviews
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  • The Sacred Vocation Program
    The Sacred Vocation Program helps healthcare workers combat compassion fatigue and burnout by reconnecting with their sense of purpose. Ideal for retention and re-engagement, this five-session program offers a safe, confidential space for professionals to explore personal experiences and rediscover empowerment in their roles, fostering a deeper connection to their "why" and reigniting their passion for patient care. Start the Program
  • Hospital Operations & Nursing Services
    Dr. Carter brings extensive expertise in leading multiple large Cardiovascular, Neuro/Stroke, Orthopedic, and Critical Care service lines. As an experienced Nurse Executive she has proven success in optimizing nursing department operations. With a deep understanding of hospital workflows and process improvements, she offers strategic guidance to enhance clinical service lines and operational efficiency. Learn more
  • The Clinician Refocus Framework©
    The Clinician Refocus Framework© helps nurses, physicians and hospital leaders streamline tasks and reclaim time for direct patient care by addressing overwhelming workloads and interruptions. Dr. Carter facilitates team training, using time-motion observations and frontline engagement to create tailored solutions, improving patient care and enhancing safety and quality metrics. Learn more about the Framework
  • Measured Results and Continuous Improvement
    The results speak for themselves: higher patient satisfaction, improved care quality, greater job satisfaction among staff, reduced turnover and decreased turnover over time. This framework is not just a quick fix; it's a sustainable solution for long-term success.
  • Frontline Engagement and Brainstorming
    I facilitate brainstorming sessions with your frontline staff to develop actionable solutions to reduce wasted time and interruptions. This collaborative process ensures the interventions are practical and relevant to your team's daily experience.
  • Time Motion Observations
    I will train your team how to shadow clinicians over several shifts, capturing real-time data on their tasks and how much time is spent on each activity. This data provides crucial insights into inefficiencies that impact patient care and clinician workflow.
  • Baseline Data Analysis
    After gathering the initial data gathered by your group, I'll present it to your team, highlighting areas where time is wasted. This is the foundation for brainstorming solutions tailored to your department's needs.
  • Solution Implementation
    Your team will implement the agreed-upon interventions for two weeks, allowing time for the new processes to take effect. This hands-on approach empowers your staff to take control of their workflow improvements.
  • Post-Intervention Time Motion Study
    Your trained team will repeat the same-time motion observations to assess how much wasted time has been removed (typically 1-3 hours). These improvements are reinvested in bedside patient care, leading to safer and more effective treatment.
  • Who is this program for?
    The Sacred Vocation Program is for healthcare professionals who feel disconnected from the purpose and passion that once fueled their careers. It’s ideal for those experiencing compassion fatigue, burnout or a diminished sense of fulfillment in their roles. Whether you're a nurse, physician or allied health professional, this program offers a supportive path to rediscovering the deeper "why" behind your work, empowering you to reignite your commitment to compassionate care and reconnect with the impact you make every day.
  • Can I take it online or in person?
    The program is intended for in person participation. The cohorts are up to 12 participants and in order to ensure confidentiality and an environment of psychological safety, we meet in person at the organization's designated location.
  • What is the Sacred Vocation program?
    The Sacred Vocation Program is a transformative experience for healthcare workers facing compassion fatigue and burnout, designed to help them reconnect with the deeper meaning in their work. Through five engaging sessions—focusing on discovering meaning, identifying healing and harmful interactions, creating coping strategies, and crafting a personal Sacred Vocation Oath—participants rediscover joy and fulfillment in their roles. The program concludes with a graduation ceremony where graduates recite their oath before their leaders, gaining recognition within the organization for their commitment to purposeful, compassionate care.
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