Job Description

As an integral member of the interdisciplinary team, the Chaplain provides spiritual and emotional support to patients, families, and staff, respectful of their cultural and religious beliefs. 

The Chaplain demonstrates excellent customer service performance in that his/her attitude and actions are at all times consistent with the standards contained in the Vision, Mission and Values of Covenant HealthCare and the commitment to Extraordinary Care for Every Generation.

***Participates in the delivery of a complete program of pastoral care to patients, their loved ones and staff of all faith traditions or no faith tradition.***

• Assesses the spiritual and emotional needs of patients and families including psychosocial issues, adjustment to illness or disability, status of religious/spiritual coping; supports others in their process of identifying and applying their own values in decision making.
• Practices ministry of presence requiring active listening skills and empathy and providing nonjudgmental support within the context of the patient’s culture, values, and belief systems.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide appropriate spiritual/emotional support to persons of all age groups.
• Helps patients and families deal with spiritual and emotional issues, among them: forgiveness, hope, courage, perseverance, loss of control, and relationships.
• Assists patients and families with ethical decision-making assistance (e.g., end-of-life decisions, information and execution of advance directives).
• Provides prayer when appropriate, support and comfort especially to the dying patient and her/his family.
• Provides bereavement support.
• Documents spiritual assessments and interventions in the electronic record and intradepartmental records accurately, clearly, in a timely manner following all established policies.
• Shares in the responsibility of providing 24-hour pastoral care coverage.
• Provides appropriate worship services, liturgical and sacramental ministries for patients, families, and staff.

***Supports an interdisciplinary approach to pastoral care.***

• Participates as an active member of the interdisciplinary team with special skills in crisis intervention and conflict resolution.
• Provides appropriate input regarding spiritual/emotional issues to physicians and other caregivers.
• Coordinates and/or participates in ethics consultations.
• Supports efforts to foster spirituality in the workplace.

***Participates in maintenance of administrative procedures for the department in accordance with institutional policy.***

• Maintains procedures to record pastoral care activity, to communicate with the other members of the department, and report to the department/institution.
• Participates in programs and administrative activities of the department.
• Participates in departmental planning and implementation of goals and objectives of the department.
• Participates in the department’s plan for continuous quality improvement.
• Supports the CPE Certified Educator and the students in their CPE experience.

***Demonstrates excellent customer service.***

• Demonstrates support of the vision, mission and values by individual actions.
• Recognizes that our existence is to serve.
• Contributes to organization’s success targets for patient satisfaction and net operating margin.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

Prefer a bachelor’s or master’s degree in theology, but formal training (Stephen Ministry, BeFriender Ministry, or lay ministry training) and life experience will be taken into consideration.

1 unit of CPE accredited by the ACPE, with at least half of one’s clinical hours completed in a healthcare facility.

Prefer acute care hospital chaplaincy experience.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES

• A general understanding of theology, pluralistic ministry, and a high regard for justice, equity, diversion, inclusion, and cultural sensitivity.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Basic computer skills in data entry and word processing.
• Ability to remain resilient and to provide pastoral care in crisis situations such as traumas, codes, and deaths.
• Comfortable and able to identify and facilitate a wide range of emotional/spiritual experiences for others, notably grief and anger.
• Ability to remain mentally focused with tasks.
• Ability to function within a self-directed team model and have a reasonable tolerance/flexibility for change.
• Ability to relate to others with a high degree of interpersonal effectiveness.
• Ability to ambulate into a patient's room and stand at the bedside for an extended period of time.
• Must be able to work the night shift as well as weekends and holidays.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Ability to maintain punctual attendance consistent with the ADA, FMLA, and other federal, state, and local standards.
• Constant hearing, visual accommodation and color vision.
• Frequent lifting up to 10 lbs.
• Frequent standing, walking, sitting, reaching, handling, talking, near vision, midrange vision, far vision, depth perception and field of vision.
• Occasional lifting up to 25 lbs.
• Occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, squatting, twisting, feeling, tasting and smelling.

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