Clinical Ethicist

Clinical Ethicist

The Clinical Ethicist advances the mission and ethical integrity of Franciscan Health through expert clinical ethics consultation, education, and leadership across a designated region of healthcare settings. Serving as the primary ethics resource for patients, families, caregivers, physicians, and leadership, this position promotes ethically sound decision-making consistent with Catholic moral tradition and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs). The Clinical Ethicist serves as the primary ethics resource within assigned facilities, supporting the implementation of clinical ethics services, initiatives, and standards in collaboration with local leaders and ethics leadership.

Franciscan Health is a leading healthcare organization dedicated to providing exceptional patient care and promoting health and wellness in our community. Our mission is to ensure that every patient receives the highest quality of care through innovation, compassion, and excellence. With 11 ministries and access points across Indiana, Franciscan Health is one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest. Franciscan Health takes pride in hiring coworkers who provide compassionate, comprehensive care for our patients and the communities we serve.

What You Can Expect

• Schedule: Monday - Friday | Day Shift | On-Call Requirement
• Demonstrated understanding and ability to apply, as well as competently teach, the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.
• Rounds regularly across assigned hospitals and care settings to identify ethical concerns, support decision-making, and facilitate ethical debriefings following challenging clinical situations.
• Provides clinical ethics consultation for care teams, physicians, patients, and families within designated region, facilitating ethical analysis, collaboration, consensus-building, and resolution of complex clinical situations.
• Serves as the primary ethics resource responsible for implementation of clinical ethics services, initiatives, and performance expectations across assigned facilities, ensuring alignment with system standards and strategic priorities.
• Participates in the monitoring and continuous improvement of ethics consultation services, quality metrics, and program outcomes in collaboration with ethics leadership and departmental operations.
• Supports the development and delivery of ethics education, orientation, and training programs related to clinical ethics, ethical decision-making, Catholic healthcare ethics, and the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs).
• Collaborates with Mission, Pastoral Care, clinical leaders, and operational leaders to strengthen Catholic identity and promote an organizational culture of ethical practice.
• Provides ethical consultation and guidance related to policies, procedures, and clinical practices to ensure alignment with Catholic moral teaching and organizational values.
• Serves on and advises operational, clinical, and interdisciplinary workgroups to integrate ethical analysis into organizational decision-making processes.
• Identifies emerging ethical issues, trends, and opportunities within assigned regions; collaborates with appropriate partners such as Risk Management, Legal, Human Resources, Quality, Compliance, Mission, and Clinical Leadership when concerns overlap disciplinary boundaries; and communicates findings to ethics leadership to support strategy, policy development, and quality improvement.
• Partners with local ethics committees to strengthen ethical culture, support consultation and education activities, provide regular communication regarding ethics initiatives, and maintain meaningful relationships with committee members and local stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Healthcare Ethics, Theology or Related Field - Required
• Doctorate Theology or Ethics - Preferred
• 3 years professional experience in healthcare, pastoral care, clinical practice, ethics, education or related field - Required
• 3 years clinical or organizational ethics experience in a healthcare setting including bedside consultation - Preferred
• Experience in working in a Catholic or faith-based healthcare system - Preferred
• Doctoral level study or advanced graduate coursework in Ethics, Theology, Bioethics or Philosophy - Required
• Healthcare Ethics Consultant-Certified (HEC-C) - Preferred

Travel is required: Up to 20%

Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of Franciscan Alliance to provide equal employment to its employees and qualified applicants for employment as otherwise required by an applicable local, state or Federal law. Franciscan Alliance reserves a Right of Conscience objection in the event local, state or Federal ordinances that violate its values and the free exercise of its religious rights. Franciscan Alliance is committed to equal employment opportunity.