Hospice Chaplain

Hospice Chaplain

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

The Hospice Chaplain is responsible for providing spiritual care services to patients and families/caregivers, either directly or through coordination of care with other spiritual counselors.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct spiritual assessments of patients and families/caregivers in the hospice program, ensuring timely provision of appropriate services.
• Participate in comprehensive assessments to develop individualized plans of care that address identified spiritual needs.
• Provide direct spiritual care to patients and families/caregivers.
• Serve as a liaison and support to community chaplains and spiritual counselors.
• Maintain records of spiritual care services utilization and related activities for quality assurance, program development, and policies and procedures review and revision.
• Document direct services and ongoing communication with community chaplains and spiritual counselors.
• Attend patient care conferences and interdisciplinary group meetings as a member of the interdisciplinary group.
• Provide consultation, education, and support to the interdisciplinary group on spiritual care.
• Recruit community chaplains, spiritual counselors, and spiritual care volunteers to meet patient and family/caregiver needs.
• Arrange funeral or memorial services for patients as requested.
• Plan periodic memorial services to meet the needs of personnel, volunteers, and community clergy/spiritual counselors working with the hospice team.
• Assist in supervising spiritual care volunteers when assigned to patients/families/caregivers.

Communication

• Complete, maintain, and submit accurate and relevant clinical notes regarding patient condition and care given, recording changes/outcomes as appropriate.
• Communicate with the physician during IDG meetings regarding patient needs and report changes in patient condition.
• Communicate with community spiritual counselors to coordinate care plans.
• Serve as a liaison between patients and families/caregivers and community agencies.
• Maintain collaborative relationships with organization personnel to support patient care.
• Report failure to comply with requirements of chapters to the Dept. of Health as required within 14 calendar days, using Dept. of Health forms.
• Report suspected abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect of a person in violation of the department of social and health services and the proper law enforcement agency.
• Work in concert with the interdisciplinary group.
• Assist the patient and family/caregiver and other team members in providing continuity of care.
• Work in cooperation with the family/caregiver and hospice interdisciplinary group to meet the spiritual needs of the patient and family/caregiver.
• Attend interdisciplinary group meetings.

Additional Duties

• Participate in on-call duties as defined by the on-call policy.
• Assume responsibility for personal growth and development, maintaining and upgrading professional knowledge and practice skills through attendance and participation in continuing education and inservice classes and ongoing CPE.
• Fulfill the obligation of requested and/or accepted case assignments.
• Actively participate in quality assessment performance improvement teams and activities.
• Other duties as delegated.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

• A bachelor's degree in religious studies or a related subject and a master's degree in theology, divinity, or pastoral studies is required, with completion of 72 semester hours and an internship or one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).
• Certification is preferred, requiring ordination or commission to minister, a letter of endorsement for chaplaincy from a recognized faith group, and maintenance of certification through continuing education, peer evaluation, and updated letter of endorsement.
• Ongoing commitment toward development through education and obtaining CPE.
• Experience in hospice care preferred.
• Comfort in an interfaith setting.
• Ability to accept different lifestyles, cultures, beliefs, and values.
• Ability to network with community clergy and congregations.
• Knowledge of and commitment to hospice philosophy of care.
• Demonstrates good verbal and written communication, and organization skills.
• Once an offer of employment is made, it is contingent upon satisfactory references, as requested, and criminal background checks by regulation.
• Prolonged or considerable walking or standing. Visual acuity and hearing to perform required chaplain skills.
• Must be a licensed driver with an automobile that is insured in accordance with state/or organization requirements and is in good working order.
• Possesses and maintains CPR certification (may not be internet-based unless the demonstration of skills was hands-on and observed by a certified trainer).