Chaplain, Interfaith, 16 Hours, Weekends

UMass Memorial Health•Worcester, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Chaplain provides pastoral and spiritual care to patients, their loved ones, and staff across all Medical Center campuses. The role offers a multi-faith presence responsive to the cultural, religious, and spiritual diversity of patients and their loved ones, and contributes to holistic, patient-centered care. The Chaplain assesses spiritual needs and develops care plans; responds to pastoral emergencies and consultations; documents assessments, visits, and interventions; and works with interpreter services and Medical Center staff to provide culturally competent care. The role supports people coping with illness, grief, trauma, stress, and death through spiritual care, rituals, sacraments, memorial services, crisis intervention, and end-of-life care. It collaborates with the interdisciplinary Palliative Care team on advanced illness and end-of-life concerns, including ethical decision-making, goals of care, and family meetings. The Chaplain also develops and facilitates public worship and spiritual practices, promotes the integration of pastoral care into the institution, participates in committees and initiatives, and provides education on religious, spiritual, and cultural diversity, grief, loss, and wellness. Additional duties include helping maintain accurate religious affiliation information and coordinating pastoral care volunteers as assigned. The position participates in 24-hour coverage and the Medical Center’s response to disasters and community traumas. This is a 16-hour-per-week position scheduled Saturdays and Sundays, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Work is sedentary and takes place indoors in a patient-care or normal office environment. The listed hiring range is $26.47–$47.63 based on a 40-hour full-time schedule; compensation for part-time schedules is prorated and varies based on scheduled hours and other factors. A signing bonus may be available, subject to eligibility confirmation.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Divinity or a related degree from a school accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Current ordination or commission to function in a ministry of pastoral care and current endorsement by a recognized faith group for ministry as a chaplain.
Certification by the Association of Professional Chaplains, National Association of Catholic Chaplains, Neshama Association of Jewish Chaplains, or Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice and Education; alternatively, eligibility for certification within three years.
Valid driver’s license.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Ability to effectively manage high levels of stress.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office products.
Maintain good standing in the chaplain’s own faith group and certification with a professional cognate group.
Respect diverse views and approaches and contribute to an environment of professionalism, tolerance, civility, and acceptance.

Nice To Haves

Minimum of five years in professional ministry, including at least three years of experience as a chaplain in a hospital setting.
Bilingual.

Responsibilities

Assess patient and family spiritual needs and develop pastoral care plans in response.
Respond promptly to pastoral care emergencies and consultations; participate in 24-hour coverage and the Medical Center’s response to disasters and community traumas.
Document pastoral care assessments, visits, and interventions in patient records.
Collaborate with interpreter services and consult with Medical Center staff to provide culturally competent care that is sensitive to patients’ spiritual, religious, and cultural values.
Provide spiritual care to patients, loved ones, staff, and students to support coping with illness, grief, trauma, stress, and death, including sacraments, rituals, memorial services, crisis intervention, and end-of-life care.
Collaborate with the interdisciplinary Palliative Care team; counsel patients and loved ones on ethical decision-making, goals of care, and incorporating spiritual, religious, and cultural values; participate in interdisciplinary family meetings.
Develop, coordinate, and facilitate public worship and spiritual practices suited to the diverse Medical Center setting.
Promote integration of pastoral and spiritual care into institutional services; provide leadership on committees and initiatives and education on diversity, grief, loss, and wellness.
Work with Patient Access Services to maintain accurate patient religious-affiliation information and a notification system for area spiritual leaders.
Participate in Medical Center committees and initiatives and provide education to staff, students, and community groups on faith, religious systems, wellness, grief, and loss.
Assist with coordination of pastoral care volunteers, including Eucharistic ministers, as assigned.
Maintain good standing in the chaplain’s faith group and certification with a professional cognate group.
Comply with departmental policies, procedures, objectives, health and safety requirements, and quality-improvement practices; attend required meetings and maintain regular, reliable attendance.
Perform other similar and related duties as required or directed.