Clinical Interfaith Chaplain

Job Overview

This role involves offering spiritual and religious assistance to patients and their families in accordance with their individual needs, preferences, and belief systems. Working closely with a multidisciplinary team, this position ensures consistent emotional and spiritual support for patients, families, visitors, and staff members. Serve patients and families from various faith backgrounds and diverse cultural contexts. Engages in personal interactions, provides crisis intervention, and offers solace to patients and families. Facilitate decision-making processes by drawing upon their understanding of religious heritage, theological values, behavioral sciences, and bio-ethical principles. Intervene during crisis situations.

Job Description

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Master of Divinity degree or equivalent from an accredited school or seminary.

2. Completion of two (2) units of Clinical Pastoral Education.

3. Three (3) years of Hospital Chaplaincy experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

1`. Completion of four (4) units of Clinical Pastoral Education.

2. National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC), Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), or College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP) certification

3. Five (5) years of Hospital Chaplaincy experience

4. Endorsed standing as a minister, priest, rabbi, or member of a religious order.

5. Experience in a health care setting or working with end-of-life care.

Duties and Responsibilities: The duties and responsibilities listed below are intended to describe the general nature of work and are not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned.

1. Visits with newly admitted patients to assess the need for spiritual/emotional support. Completes an initial spiritual assessment as required by Medicare Conditions of Participation guidelines.

2. Based on assessment and patient/family wishes, provide spiritual support and interventions in nonjudgmental manner to patients and families in various life situations and crisis circumstances through follow-up visits when appropriate.

3. Provides crisis intervention to assist patients and their families when dealing with trauma and grief due to loss of life.

4. Participates in interdisciplinary rounds on all units as an integral partner of the health care team. Participates in the interdisciplinary team conferences and assists in developing and reviewing care plans

5. Participates in patient/family meetings to facilitate decision making concerning, advance care planning and end-of-life issues.

6. Provides grief and bereavement support, sacramental ministry, and end of life care to patients, families and staff.

7. Serve as a liaison with notification and involvement of patient/family's own spiritual community at patient/family's request. Assists with funeral and memorial services when requested.

8. Communicates relevant patient information with other disciplines through the use of referral systems, chart entries and other mechanisms in the clinical setting.

9. Documents all contacts per procedure including visits, telephone calls, assessments, interventions, responses to interventions, and communications.

10. Maintains professionalism with colleagues, peers, patients and families. Puts forth a positive agency image.

11. Serves as a resource to staff and provides in-services to the staff and volunteers regarding differing theological points of view, rituals, customs and beliefs and the role of the chaplain.

12. Participates in patient care conferences, bereavement meetings, training programs and other events as appropriate and needed.

13. Knowledge and understanding of what to report to the CEO or Chief Compliance Officer when concerns of corporate compliance arise.

14. Adheres to the ethical standard set forth by Hospital policy and chaplaincy professional organizations.

15. Ensures compliance within guidelines set forth by regulatory agencies (DPH, ERISA etc.) and compliance with policies and procedures.

16. Practices confidentiality principles set by the agency and federal HIPAA/HITECH guidelines.

17. Participates in all mandatory in-services.

Physical Requirements:

1. Frequently required to move about inside the office and patient’s homes.

2. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 10-25 pounds.

4. Specific vision abilities apply including close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus.

5. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

6. While performing this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time.

Skills & Abilities:

1. Possess exceptional communication and listening skills.

2. Knowledge of, and sensitivity to, the spiritual issues expressed by the terminally ill and their families.

3. Ability to be open, and accepting in serving patients/families of differing faiths.

4. Ability to read/write and communicate in English.

5. Excellent interpersonal skills.

6. Ability to function well in very busy situations.

7. Responsible and reliable.

8. Good organization skills.

9. Knowledge of CQI process.

10. Understands family dynamics and works effectively within various types of family systems.

11. Knowledgeable about bio-ethical principles and the spiritual and emotional challenges encountered in healthcare settings.