Hospice Chaplain

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

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

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assures spiritual assessment of patients and families/caregivers in the hospice program and appropriate services are rendered in a timely manner.
2. Facilitates the development of the individualized the plan of care by participating in the comprehensive assessment to meet identified spiritual needs.
3. Provides direct spiritual care to patients and families/caregivers.
4. Serves as liaison and support to community chaplains and spiritual counselors.
5. Maintains records of spiritual care services utilization and related activities for quality assurance, program development, and policies and procedures review and revision.
6. Documents direct services and ongoing communication with community chaplains and spiritual counselors.
7. Attends patient care conference and interdisciplinary group meetings as a member of the interdisciplinary group.
8. Provides consultation, education, and support to the interdisciplinary group on spiritual care.
9. Recruits community chaplains, spiritual counselors, and spiritual care volunteers adequate to meet patient and family/caregiver needs by developing community contacts and offering education through congregations about hospice care.
10. Provides for funeral or memorial services for patients as requested.
11. Plans periodic memorial services to meet the needs of personnel, volunteers, and community clergy/spiritual counselors working with the hospice team.
12. Assists in supervision of spiritual care volunteers when assigned to patients/ families/caregivers.

Communication

1. Completes, maintains and submits accurate and relevant clinical notes regarding patient’s condition and care given. Records changes/outcomes as appropriate.
2. Communicates with the physician during IDG meetings regarding the patient’s needs and reports changes in the patient’s condition.
3. Communicates with community spiritual counselors to coordinate the care plan.
4. Serves as liaison between patients and families/caregivers and community agencies.
5. Maintains collaborative relationships with organization personnel to support patient care.
6. As a mandatory reporter, reports failure to comply with the requirements of the Virginia Department of Health and will report as required within 14 calendar days, using Dept. of Health forms.
7. Reports suspected abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect of a person in violation VA State Law, DPH, and ethics to the department of social and health services and the proper law enforcement agency. Reports must be submitted immediately when the reporting person has reasonable cause to believe that abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect of a vulnerable adult has occurred.
8. Works in concert with the interdisciplinary group.
9. Assists the patient and family/caregiver and other team members in providing continuity of care.
10. Works in cooperation with the family/caregiver and hospice interdisciplinary group to meet the spiritual needs of the patient and family/caregiver.
11. Attends interdisciplinary group meetings.

Additional Duties

1. Participates in on-call duties as defined by the on-call policy.
2. Assumes responsibility for personal growth and development and maintains and upgrades professional knowledge and practice skills through attendance and participation in continuing education and in-service classes and ongoing CPE.
3. Fulfills the obligation of requested and/or accepted case assignments.
4. Actively participates in quality assessment performance improvement teams and activities
5. Other duties as delegated.

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. The incumbents may be requested to perform job related tasks other than those stated in this description.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

1. A bachelor's degree in religious studies or a related subject and a master's degree in theology, divinity or pastoral studies is required. (Courses may include biblical interpretation, human development and crises management.) Master's degree program transcripts should be able to document the completion of 72 semester hours, last approximately three years and may include an internship or one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).) The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education defines one of unit of CPE as 400 hours of supervised meetings with persons in crises and includes ministry and peer evaluation.
2. Certification is preferred. Specific requirements for certification may vary based on affiliation, however most organizations require chaplains to be ordained or commissioned to minister and must present a letter of endorsement for chaplaincy from a recognized faith group. Usually a certification also requires at least an M.A. in Theology or a related subject and accrual of four units of CPE. Maintenance of certification varies by institution but generally includes continuing education, a peer evaluation and an updated letter of endorsement.
3. Ongoing commitment toward development through education and obtaining CPE.
4. Experience in hospice care preferred.
5. Comfort in an interfaith setting.
6. Ability to accept different lifestyles, cultures, beliefs, and values.
7. Ability to network with community clergy and congregations.
8. Knowledge of and commitment to hospice philosophy of care.
9. Demonstrates good verbal and written communication, and organization skills.
10. Once an offer of employment is made, it is contingent upon satisfactory references, as requested, and criminal background checks by regulation.
11. Prolonged or considerable walking or standing. Visual acuity and hearing to perform required chaplain skills.
12. Must be a licensed driver with an automobile that is insured in accordance with state/or organization requirements and is in good working order.
13. Possesses and maintains CPR certification (may not be internet based unless the demonstration of skills was hands on and observed by a certified trainer)

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