Meet Jenny Seylar, lead chaplain at downtown campus
As lead chaplain at the downtown campus, Jenny Seylar has the unique opportunity to spend quality time with patients and families and serve as a “listening presence.” We asked her to share more about her job and life outside of work.
Would you please describe your role and background?
I am the lead chaplain at University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Downtown; I serve as a counterpart to the lead chaplain for UI Health Care at the university campus. We are in the Spiritual Services area, which is a part of the Office of Patient Experience.
Fundamentally, I see myself as a “bringer of hope,” whether it’s to our patients and families, or to the employees who work at the hospital. Even when those on our chaplain team may each be having our own difficult days, we lean on each other, and then when we walk out in the hallways or meet with patients, we bring hope and encouragement.
I celebrated five years at the downtown campus (formerly Mercy Iowa City) in August 2024. Prior to that, I was a United Methodist Church pastor, serving local churches in the Iowa City area. Before that, I spent 16 years as a middle school science teacher! It is clear I have had quite an interesting path to this work.
Ironically, I did spend one year at the University of Iowa, and I was planning on becoming a nurse but changed my mind and pursued education. So, it is funny that I now find myself working in a hospital setting, which is a place I have always felt comfortable.
Can you explain a little more about what a chaplain does?
At a very fundamental level, our role is to let people know that they are not alone in their hospital stay, and we are not going to forget about them. There are misconceptions that chaplains, clergy, or priests are only called if someone is dying, but that’s not the case. We certainly can pray with someone if they wish, but more than anything, we are a listening presence.
Our services are always optional, and we tailor them to a patient’s wishes. Sometimes it’s sourcing small comforts, things like reading glasses or a new book or a crossword puzzle. Sometimes it’s sitting by the bedside and listening. At times it’s just being a quiet presence, so the patient doesn’t feel alone if they don’t have family or friends who are able to visit.
We can offer the gift of time—more time than providers and nurses may be able to deliver to an individual patient. And we often learn things that can help set the patient up for success once they leave the hospital. We work very closely with case managers as they are working on discharge plans, too. We offer some extra support for their recommendations or to help get to the root cause why someone may not want to follow the recommended plan.
One of the greatest benefits of my role is that I usually do not have to rush a visit. This allows chaplains to build trust at a one-on-one level. We allow there to be silence, and we allow time for the care receiver to think and listen. We just try to be present and hold space. Sometimes patients will share their deepest secrets and fears, and it is a great honor to be able to stay and listen and not make them feel like there isn’t enough time. We have the luxury of allowing ourselves, on days when there are many challenging visits, to “Let whatever you do today be enough.”
Some people may not understand the role of a chaplain in a secular, public institution. Can you talk more about how you approach your role within that context?
Generally speaking, all hospitals have some form of spiritual services, even if the hospital itself is a public institution or not religiously affiliated. When people find themselves in the hospital, they are often facing some of the most challenging things in their life, and it is comforting to talk to someone with a spiritual background. That is in addition to the doctors and nurses with a medical background. We can tailor our approach to the level of religious or spiritual engagement desired by the patient—and that may mean no spiritual engagement at all.
It's been about a year since the Mercy Iowa City transition, how would you describe the change curve this year?
The 150-year legacy and spirit of Mercy remains, even with the transitional change. For the most part, many of us who had been at Mercy for a while understood that joining UI Health Care was our path forward to keep that legacy and spirit alive.
Over the past year, I think we all have worked to keep what's really special about the downtown campus, but in a way that makes it still work within UI Health Care. The university has been welcoming and provided resources to help us through the transition.
Are there any other programs you'd like to highlight?
Beyond our spiritual services work, another important program we have always had at Mercy Iowa City is “Garments to Go.” We have been able to continue this after the transition. It is a free clothing closet for patients preparing for discharge. There are many reasons why a patient may need clothing—sometimes clothes are soiled or ruined due to their injury or illness; they may have been in pajamas when they arrived; or the clothing they brought won’t fit over a cast or brace. If the patient doesn’t have a good way to get a new set of clothes, we offer basics like T-shirts, sweatpants, sweatshirts, hats, gloves, and slippers to wear home. More patients use the program than you might imagine.
Not only does the program fulfill a need for patients, but it also provides us with one more touchpoint—another reason to stop in and visit someone who is about to be discharged, to see if there is anything we can do for them before they leave. Providing adequate clothing for discharge can also be important for a patient’s mental health—no one wants to leave in dirty or ill-fitting clothes.
UI Health Care has also included the downtown campus in ordering items for kids who may be admitted—things like bubbles and coloring books and stuffed animals—that make a stay in the hospital, or visit to the ED, a little more comforting for a child.
What's your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part is sitting alongside patients and families in a time of crisis and helping them realize that there is hope and they’re not alone. That they don’t have to navigate this difficult time without help. In some ways, I have a unique perspective I bring to the role—sadly, my husband unexpectedly died seven years ago. One of the reasons I went into chaplaincy is because I didn't want to continue pastoral church ministry without him. I found that chaplaincy was a really good place to use my ministry skills in a new way. My own grief has helped me to be able to walk into a patient’s room and have a sense of what their sorrow and suffering feels like.
Sometimes I will come back to my office after meeting with a patient and just think, “This. This is why I come to work every day.” When I leave a room knowing I’ve helped turn around some negativity, I am affirmed it really is time well spent.
What is your life like outside of work?
I am a mother of three grown children, all of whom are married, and four wonderful grandchildren who bring me great joy. I love to spend time with my family! I also love to spend time outdoors—I hike, kayak, and bike. I enjoy writing, and I am a blogger, sharing about how my own grief has turned to hope.