Hospice Chaplain (part-time)

Position Summary

The Hospice Chaplain at Morning Star Hospice and Palliative Care provides spiritual, emotional, and supportive care to patients and families facing life-limiting illness. This role ensures that individuals of all faith traditions—or no faith tradition—receive compassionate, respectful, and culturally sensitive spiritual support. As a key member of the interdisciplinary care team, the Chaplain helps patients and loved ones find comfort, meaning, and peace throughout the end-of-life journey.

Key Responsibilities

• Patient & Family Support
• Conduct spiritual assessments to identify patient and family needs, beliefs, and preferences
• Provide ongoing spiritual counseling, prayer, pastoral presence, and emotional comfort
• Offer grief support and anticipatory guidance throughout the hospice process
• Facilitate conversations around life review, meaning, legacy, and spiritual concerns
• Support patients and families during crisis moments, transitions, and end-of-life events
• Lead or coordinate bedside rituals, prayer, sacraments, or ceremonies as requested
• Respect and support diverse faiths, cultural backgrounds, and personal beliefs
• Interdisciplinary Team Collaboration
• Participate in IDG (Interdisciplinary Group) meetings to discuss patient care plans
• Communicate spiritual care goals and updates with the clinical team
• Work collaboratively with nurses, social workers, aides, and volunteers
• Provide staff support, debriefing, and spiritual encouragement as needed
• Bereavement & Family Support
• Assist with bereavement risk assessments and interventions
• Provide follow-up support to grieving families as assigned
• Participate in or lead memorial services, remembrance events, or grief groups
• Documentation & Compliance
• Maintain accurate, timely electronic documentation of all spiritual care visits
• Follow all Morning Star Hospice & Palliative Care policies, HIPAA, and regulatory guidelines
• Participate in required training, continuing education, and compliance reviews

Qualifications

• Education & Credentials
• Ordination from recognized religious body
• Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) units strongly preferred
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and auto insurance
• Ability to pass background check and health screening
• Skills & Attributes
• Compassionate, nonjudgmental, and patient-centered approach
• Strong listening, communication, and crisis-support skills
• Ability to work with individuals of diverse cultural and spiritual backgrounds
• Ability to maintain emotional resilience and healthy boundaries
• Comfortable providing support in homes, facilities, and bedside environments
• Work Environment & Physical Requirements
• Travel to patient homes, skilled nursing facilities, and community sites
• Ability to sit, stand, or walk for extended periods
• Occasional evening or weekend hours based on patient needs