Chaplain

Duties

• Serves as a Chaplain professional providing comprehensive, religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires.
• Carrries out a ministry which is highly integrated into VHA's Chaplain program.
• Provides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Service management staff, other Chaplains, and other stakeholders.
• Serves as a Chaplain representative and a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT).
• Advises and collaborates with other members of the IDT to provide comprehensive healthcare services to Veterans.
• Maintains effective rapport with physicians, medical officers, psychologists, nurses, therapists, social workers, or others involved with IDT.
• Ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to Veterans and provides the highest quality of care.
• Serves as a primary Chaplain resource, spiritual advisor, and liaison for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff.
• Conducts comprehensive religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, and administration of Chaplain services.
• Led various complex and sensitive projects, task groups, and assignments to obtain pertinent high-level information needed for Chaplain Service management officials.
• Engages as a spiritual leader, a compassionate listener, and counselor, especially during times of crisis.
• Provides thorough spiritual leadership, offers prayers, and provides overall religious services for Veteran patients, patient families, staff, and community.
• Conducts rituals before groups of people, which requires effective leadership and public speaking skills.
• Addresses the religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical problems of patients and staff.
• Provides effective counseling services to patients and staff.
• Conducts regular rounds of hospital wards where patients are critically ill.
• Ministers to newly admitted, pre- and post-operative patients, the critically ill, and the families of concerned Veteran patients.
• Provides advance care planning education, information, and counsel for patients and their families.
• Provides pastoral ministry to patients with respect to the patient's faith group, including conscientious attention during emergencies and crises.
• Builds strong interpersonal relationships with patients and ensures all patients are provided opportunities for the free exercise of religion.
• Ascertains Veterans are protected from proselytizing and coercing from any source.
• Operates a government-owned/leased vehicle to properly carry out assigned duties.
• Maintains a valid, unrestricted State driver's license.

Qualifications

• Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Ecclesiastical Endorsement from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination.
• Board Certification from a professional chaplain certifying body that is directly related to the position being filled.