Clinical Chaplain

About the role

The Clinical Chaplain provides compassionate pastoral ministry to all patients/residents, their family, loved ones, and team members. The Clinical Chaplain supports patients/residents, and their families in times of crisis, anxiety, or sorrow in grief and suffering. The Clinical Chaplain facilitates communication with caregivers outside the healthcare team; serves as a subject matter expert in pastoral care matters and collaborates with community clergy to provide ongoing spiritual support. The Clinical Chaplain maintains a working knowledge of customs and practices from a diversity of world religions and faith practices and works to assure that patients and family members are respected in their individual beliefs, customs, traditions and practices.

Responsibilities

• Supports spiritual and emotional needs based on initial and ongoing spiritual assessments and document actions taken and plan of care in the patient's or resident's medical record.
• Develops patient spiritual care plans and collaborates with the care team by notating in the patient's chart. Conducts in-services for multi-disciplinary members on issues relating to assessing and meeting spiritual care needs.
• With patient/resident consent, and as necessary, acts as a liaison between family and clinical team during crisis by supporting and comforting family members.
• Provides intensive and extensive pastoral care and spiritual counseling to patients/residents, families and team members during and after critical events.
• Collaborates with Palliative Care Team and attends palliative care team meetings to provide optimal care and support during each phase of the patient's end of life process.
• Conducts patient/resident rounds to assess and support spiritual needs and collaborates with the care team on care planning.
• Visits patients/residents, and families who request pastoral care services.
• As requested and clinically indicated, participates in family conferences to support the patient/resident, family, physicians and team members.
• Collaborates with volunteer service leaders on screening and training pastoral care volunteers.
• Participates in committee meetings to offer expertise, guidance and education in pastoral care matters concerning religion, culture and theology.
• Where requested and clinically relevant, initiates and or leads team members in emotional reflection at interdisciplinary team meetings.
• Provides liturgical/sacramental ministry of prayer, communion, emergency baptisms, memorial services, hospital celebrations, ceremonies and services.
• When requested, proactively coordinates and leads didactics or educational training relating to pastoral care for all care teams.
• Makes full use of one's own religious heritage, theological understanding, and knowledge of the behavioral sciences in pastoral ministry to persons and groups.
• Follows the highest standards of ethical conduct as outlined by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Educators.
• Maintains medical records, reports and data as necessary for regulatory reporting and continuous quality improvement.
• May be required to work weekends and/or, as needed, carry a beeper or similar communication device to respond to emergencies for pastoral support.
• Identifies the needs of the patient population served and modifies and delivers care that is specific to those needs (i.e., age, culture, language, hearing and/or visually impaired, etc.). This process includes communicating with the patient/resident, spouse, parent, and/or primary caregiver(s) at their level (developmental/age, educational, literacy, etc.).
• Adheres to the standards identified in the Medical Center's Organizational Competencies.
• Adheres to standards of competency in accordance with best practices of accrediting agencies (i.e., ACPE, CPSP, NACC, CMS, Joint Commission) and professional certification standards.

Qualifications

• Successfully completed two units of Clinical Pastoral Education from a nationally recognized and accredited organization.
• Commit to participate in professional training towards certification(s) within 12 months of date of hire (i.e., board certified clinical chaplain, supervisor in training).
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in pastoral studies/theology/religious studies or related to congregational or institutional Ministry or Pastoral Ministry certification program or proof of enrollment while matriculating in an accredited program leading to a Bachelor's degree or equivalent certification.
• Three years previous experience in pastoral ministry as Lead Pastor or Assisting Minister.
• Two years experience working in a clinical environment with patients and families facing life-threatening injury or illness.
• Endorsement of a pastoral leader of one's religious denomination.
• Professional development or continuing education credits in the field of pastoral ministry, counseling or community issues.
• Computer knowledge for purposes of documentation, continuing education and public presentation.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred

• Graduate degree or matriculating in a graduate degree program from an accredited seminary or school of theology with M.Div. or Masters of Theology.
• Board Certification as a Clinical Chaplain from a nationally recognized and accredited organization.
• Experience and formal education in pastoral counseling.