Chaplain

The Chaplain is responsible for assessing and attending to the spiritual needs of patients, their families, employees/ volunteers, particularly in times of spiritual distress brought on by life threatening or life altering medical diagnoses, procedures, and events. The Chaplain’s ministry reflects appropriate age specific and cognitive understanding levels of the person, serving the patient and family by employing short-term counseling methods similar to those of “crisis counseling”. Serves the patient and family by assisting in resolution of bioethical concerns, and may be asked to assist in matters such as securing family permission for organ/tissue transplantation or providing a religious perspective on initiating or withdrawing life support systems.

Principal Job Functions

• *Commits to the mission, vision, beliefs and consistently demonstrates our core values.
• *Makes routine rounds on assigned patient care areas assessing the spiritual needs of patients and families who may be experiencing spiritual distress or crisis or who have identified high-risk spiritual care indicators; offers spiritual advice and counsel consistent with the spiritual and religious backgrounds of the patient and family.
• *Responds to Code Blue and Code Trauma pages per facility procedures.
• *Conducts assigned patient/family therapeutic/educational groups.
• *Facilitates communication and acts as a liaison between hospital staff and family or friends of patients during periods of crisis, such as death, critical illness or lengthy surgery; provides emotional and spiritual support to staff, patients and their families.
• *Provides counseling in matters associated with spirituality including meaning and purpose in life, healing, forgiveness and reconciliation; performs or makes arrangements for traditional pastoral services, such as prayer, sacramental ministry or other special services; provides ecumenical services as needed to promote spiritual wellbeing.
• *Serves as a Notary, assisting patients in completing Advance Healthcare Directives and other paperwork as able.
• *Maintains documentation of pastoral care functions in patient medical records.
• *Participates in the Chaplain’s on-call schedule as needed.

Education And Experience

Four quarters of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) under a supervisor approved by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC), or Canadian Association of Pastoral Education (CAPE) required. Master’s degree required; Master’s degree in Theology or Spiritual Counseling from a seminary preferred. Ecclesiastical endorsement and ordination preferred. Certification with a pastoral care cognate group recognized by the Coalition on Ministry in Specialized Settings (COMISS) or actively working toward certification required.

Other Credentials / Certifications

None