The Spiritual Care Chaplain / Coordinator provides spiritual care for patients, their families and the staff. Coordinates Spiritual Care with Community Clergy to provide for the needs of patients, family and staff. Responsible as a member of the interdisciplinary team for the provision of spiritual support to patient/families in accordance with their wishes and belief system and consistent with Treasure Coast Hospice’s policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• Minimum: good standing with applicant’s body of faith. Demonstrated ability to support the spiritual needs of patients and families at end of life.
• Master’s degree in Ministry from an accredited college, university or divinity school preferred; or shall have completed at least one Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) unit with an emphasis in health care ministry in addition to applicable ministerial training and experience.
• Preferred or graduate of accredited seminary or school of theology and appropriate certification in hospital or pastoral ministry (clinical pastoral education).
• Demonstrate ability to be open, sensitive, flexible, and ecumenical.
• Two years’ experience in a patient care setting preferred (hospice/home care/acute care hospital/residential care).
• Preferred knowledgeable in spiritual assessments, planning, and implementation of spiritual care and community church resources.
• Ability to attend Bereavement and/or Community events held off-shift, which support organizational mission and goals.
• Ability to provide accurate, clear and concise documentation for patient charting.
• Expertise in spiritual counseling, crisis intervention, family systems, grief resolution and ministry of ecumenical settings. Experience in spiritual care for the dying and bereaved preferred. Works effectively under stress.
• Attendance is a condition of employment.

Expectations

• Provide program development strategies for Treasure Coast Hospice, in an organized, routine capacity that will enable the cohesion of team developments. Work collaboratively with other departments, demonstrate and encourage leadership for a comprehensive approach to program development. Inspire staff to live the Treasure Coast Hospice’s Mission, to achieve its Vision, and demonstrate our Values and Commitment. Be current in legal and compliance hospice issues.
• To meet or exceed identifiable standards for the position.

Additional Information

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Incumbent may be required to perform emergency duty before, during and/or beyond normal work hours or days in the event of an emergency, crisis situation or disaster (man-made or natural) including evacuation sites. The person in the position will work in a smoke-free location, and is expected to adhere to all smoking restrictions

Key Result Areas

• Performs comprehensive initial spiritual assessments and ongoing reassessments of patient/family spiritual needs and resources. Assists in the development and implementation of goal-directed family spiritual care plan within four days of admission. Contacts the patient/family’s preferred spiritual advisor to ensure ongoing involvement. Assist patient/family upon request and gain access to spiritual care providers in accordance with their own spiritual/religious needs.
• Provides spiritual care/support to patients/families including but not limited to identifying of spiritual needs, the developing of care plans, the implementing of interventions, the notifying and enlisting of spiritual care services, and the leading of spiritually focused prayer and worship services. Updates plan of care and documents appropriately.
• Contacts patient/family within one hour when an immediate need/crisis is indicated. Within one hour of an immediate or crisis visit report findings to immediate supervisor. Records all patient/family visits, telephone contacts in the medical record within a period of 24 hours.
• Establishes therapeutic relationships and maintains healthy interpersonal boundaries with patients and families from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Assists patients, family members or other clients with concern and empathy; respects their confidentiality and privacy and communicates with them in a courteous and respectful manner.
• Observes, evaluates, and brings to team conferences information regarding spiritual beliefs that may impact the physical and/or psychosocial care provided by the team.
• Develops and maintains contact with appropriate community agencies and services in order to promote inter-agency cooperation and to facilitate related referrals.
• Assists families with funeral planning; conducts funeral services/viewings as requested.
• Assures quality patient care through the identification of process improvements; i.e. obtaining funeral home information on the first visit. Shares ideas with team manager.
• Educates our spiritual volunteers to be more effective with patients and families.
• Conduct bereavement follow up to assess the bereaved and to evaluate earlier grief support by counseling services.
• Collaborates with the Team to actualize a therapeutic milieu in which to provide comfort and support to patients, families and visitors.
• Partners with community outreach to facilitate clergy representation specific to religious preference in order to attend to patients and families.
• Assists with coordination of future strategic education programs.
• Assists the departments in developing and providing education to patients, families and the community on end-of-life care and cultural issues specific to population. Keeps current with best practices for spiritual care for the dying and bereaved.
• Responsible for upholding Treasure Coast Hospice/Model Standards for patient visits and compliant documentation.
• Clearly understanding and adhering to each Standard as defined.
• Motivates and lead self with confidence, energy, and integrity.
• Shows professionalism, treating others with dignity and respect. Avoids unnecessary conflict and provides a positive and optimistic attitude.
• Must accept on-call responsibility on a rotation basis.
• Must have the capacity to embrace a flexible work schedule to meet the patient and family needs.

• Maintain a high level of urgency, customer consciousness and service excellence.

• Participate as an active supporter of the Treasure Coast Hospice compliance program, including an emphasis to report, as well as complying with all Federal, State and Local laws as well as the organization’s compliance program.
• Fulfill all responsibilities related to the success of the strategic plan of the organization, as requested and assigned.

OSHA Category

Position will be categorized as Category III (involves no routine or potential exposure to blood, body fluids/tissues).

Working Conditions

Typing – working primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.

Sedentary – Exerting up to ten pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria met.

The work is required to have close visual acuity such as/preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing, viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading.

Additional Information

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Incumbent may be required to perform emergency duty before, during and/or beyond normal work hours or days in the event of an emergency, crisis situation or disaster (man-made or natural) including evacuation sites. The person in the position will work in a smoke-free location, and is expected to adhere to all smoking restrictions.

EEO/Drug Free Workplace