Chaplain - Bereavement & Grief Support

Stanford Health Care•Palo Alto, CA

2d•$38 - $49•Onsite

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Manager of Spiritual Care Services, The Bereavement, Grief Support Chaplain provides specialized spiritual and emotional support to Stanford Health Care (SHC) staff and family members experiencing tangible and intangible loss and related grief. This role is dedicated to staff and family care and is designed to foster healing, resilience, and community through individual and group‑based grief support. The chaplain will serve as a key member of the Spiritual Care Services team and a vital part of SHC's commitment to the well‑being of its staff as well as to families of SHC patients. In addition, the Bereavement, Grief Support Chaplain provides dedicated support to staff experiencing the emotional, spiritual, and moral impact of workplace violence. Incidents that compromise physical and psychological safety can intensify grief responses and contribute to moral distress. The chaplain addresses these layered needs by offering confidential, trauma‑informed care aimed at restoring a sense of safety, moral wellness, and connection within the workplace. The Bereavement, Grief Support Chaplain works as a team member in accordance with the Spiritual Care Services Mission and Vision Statements, following its Administrative Policies and Procedures. The Chaplain also performs other duties as assigned by the Manager of Spiritual Care Services.

Requirements

Master's Degree in theology, divinity, or religious studies required.
Graduation from a seminary or school of theology that approved by a professional chaplain certifying organization required.
One (1) year of directly related work experience in a health care setting, including Completion of Four (4) Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) required.
Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of medical practice, ethical issues in health care, hospital procedures, developmental needs across all age groups (Infant to Geriatric), and adheres to SHC and Common Codes of Ethics, privacy/confidentiality (PHI), and safety/infection control standards.
Meets all Level 1 and 2 Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) outcomes, board certification competencies, and demonstrates ongoing intellectual curiosity and commitment to continuous improvement through education and learning opportunities.
Exhibits theological, philosophical, and spiritual reflection skills, and integrates pastoral/spiritual perspectives across a variety of settings including interdisciplinary case conferences, staff education, and group processes.
Provides individualized and group pastoral care with cultural and religious sensitivity, supporting persons through crisis, end-of-life situations, decision-making, and coping with loss—always with compassion, professionalism, and alignment with SHC values.
Demonstrates exceptional communication, teaching, and counseling skills, with the ability to adjust communication to suit diverse audiences and understanding levels, and to speak and write effectively.
Offers consultation to colleagues, mentorship to students, and actively contributes to the development and effectiveness of inter-faith/inter-belief spiritual care programs.
Provides strong leadership in spiritual care, demonstrating creativity and excellence in designing and delivering spiritual/religious services, motivating others, energizing team members, and influencing interprofessional teams.
Works collaboratively and diplomatically with hospital staff, interdisciplinary teams, and community religious leaders to foster a cohesive and effective Spiritual Care department.
Performs effectively in high-pressure and crisis situations, showing resourcefulness, appropriate assertiveness, calmness under stress, and sound judgment while meeting departmental productivity goals.
Exemplifies strong organizational, interpersonal, and problem-solving abilities; maintains professionalism, accountability, and dependability in ministering to staff and families with a range of physical and mental health needs.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual ability with English and Spanish.
Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) preferred
National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) preferred
Neshama: The Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC) preferred
Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC) preferred
National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplains (NAVAC) preferred
Ordination or commissioning by one's faith group to serve as a religious leader and endorsement or official recognition by that faith group to function as a Chaplain preferred

Responsibilities

Provide direct, confidential spiritual and emotional support and grief care to SHC staff and to families of SHC patients following patient deaths, staff deaths, critical incidents, or other loss‑related events through timely phone or virtual follow‑up and referral to appropriate resources.
Respond to staff affected by workplace violence by providing immediate and ongoing care, addressing fear, disorientation, grief, and moral injury, and supporting the restoration of psychological safety.
Facilitate grief support groups, including multi‑week peer support series and drop‑in Q&A sessions.
Coordinate and lead annual and ad hoc memorial services for staff; provide consultation and support for memorial planning that involves staff‑family interfaces as needed.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation of encounters and group participation in accordance with SHC standards.
Assist with spiritual care requests from SHC Outpatient Clinics, Outpatient Palliative Care and the Hospital at Home program, as needed, when requests intersect with staff grief or memorial activities.
Maintains daily records of the Department’s activities in accordance with Department’s data gathering tool in use.
Performs other duties as required, or assigned by, or negotiated with the Manager
Develop and deliver grief‑related educational offerings for staff, including workshops, team presentations, and Schwartz Rounds.
Curate and maintain a comprehensive database of grief care resources available to SHC staff (active grief groups, webinars, research initiatives, bibliography/bibliotherapy, multimedia resources, and community referrals).
Collaborate with HR and other departments to integrate grief education and awareness of resources into staff wellness initiatives.
Provide education on the emotional and moral effects of workplace violence, emphasizing coping strategies, grounding, meaning‑making, and restoring psychological safety; develop leader‑facing materials to recognize trauma and moral distress and to make timely referrals.
Evaluate program effectiveness through feedback, participation data, and outcome measures; assist in the creation and distribution of follow‑up materials and surveys.
Contribute to the ongoing development of SHC’s grief care continuum for staff and families.
Adapt effective elements from the families bereavement model (e.g., outreach cadence, scripted follow‑ups, and outcome tracking) for the staff context.
Build focused support pathways for staff affected by workplace violence so the grief care continuum explicitly responds to threats to personal safety and their effects on grief, anxiety, and moral distress.
Collaborate with internal teams and community partners to increase awareness and utilization of Spiritual Care Services through outreach and promotional strategies.
Attend Spiritual Care Services team meetings and contribute to departmental planning.
Participate in interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance staff support services; coordinate with HR, EAP, Security, and Workplace Violence Prevention for integrated responses following violent incidents.
Assist with departmental projects and initiatives as assigned by the Manager.
Serve on selected hospital committees as appointed by the Manager.
Serve on committees as appointed by the Manager.
Attend religious/faith group meetings to maintain good standing and serves on committees of national Spiritual Care organization(s) as needed.
Assist with other administrative duties as assigned by the Manager.
Adhere to current organizational Performance Improvement priorities.
Conduct and/or participate in Quality Improvement studies and clinical research initiatives through data collection and analysis in alignment with department goals.
Make recommendations and take actions to improve Spiritual Care Services structures, systems and outcomes.