Staff Chaplain

Advocate Health

4d•$29 - $43•Onsite

About The Position

The Staff Chaplain provides comprehensive holistic spiritual care to patients, families, and healthcare staff, including counseling, crisis response, and sacramental support. The role assists during emergencies, guides families through illness and end-of-life processes, and promotes patient safety. The chaplain collaborates with interdisciplinary teams; participates in care planning, education, and ethical discussions; and supports staff through consultations and training. The role also contributes to departmental operations, mentoring, and community outreach while upholding organizational values and maintaining active involvement in their faith community. This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week position at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois. The schedule is Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 12:00 AM–8:30 AM. The chaplain must be able to work flexible hours for 24-hour on-call coverage, including evenings and nights, and work designated shifts, weekends, and holidays. On-call rotation and transportation to serve as needed are required. The position may involve exposure to hazardous materials, blood and body fluids, and life-threatening diseases, as well as contact with aggressive or agitated patients and possible patient restraint. The chaplain must know techniques for managing patients, work in a rapidly changing environment, and be able to sit, stand, walk, and bend throughout the workday. The role requires lifting up to 35 pounds without assistance; patient-handling equipment and another associate are expected for patient lifts over 35 pounds or when a patient cannot assist, when available. Personal protective equipment must be worn as necessary, and the chaplain operates equipment necessary to perform the job. Advocate Health describes its Total Rewards as including competitive compensation, premium pay where applicable, incentive pay for select positions, potential annual performance-based increases, paid time off, health and welfare benefits, family benefits, employer-matched retirement plans, financial wellness programs, and educational assistance. Program eligibility may depend on FTE or employment status.

Requirements

Complete four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), at least three of which are accredited by ACPE.
Be eligible for board certification as a chaplain through APC/BCCI, NACC, or NAJC, and obtain board certification within 18 months of hire.
Hold an ecclesiastical endorsement from the chaplain’s religious faith community and be a member in good standing with the sponsoring faith community.
Have 1–3 years of prior clinical experience as a chaplain.
Hold a BA or BS from an accredited college or university.
Hold a Master of Divinity or equivalent master’s degree. For an equivalent degree, provide a letter from APC, NACC, ACPE, or NAJC stating that theological education standards for certification have been met.
Be able to work flexible hours to accommodate 24-hour on-call coverage, including evening and night shifts.
Be able to work designated shifts, weekends, and holidays.
Have knowledge of techniques to manage patients.
Be able to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance; use patient-handling equipment and, when available, another associate for patient lifts over 35 pounds or when a patient cannot assist.
Be available and have transportation to serve on-call rotation as needed.
Be able to sit, stand, walk, and bend throughout the workday.
Operate equipment necessary to perform the job.

Responsibilities

Provide holistic spiritual care to patients, families, and healthcare staff, including counseling, crisis response, and sacramental support.
Assist during emergencies and guide families through illness and end-of-life processes.
Promote patient safety.
Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and participate in care planning, education, and ethical discussions.
Support staff through consultations and training.
Contribute to departmental operations, mentoring, and community outreach.
Uphold organizational values and maintain active involvement in the chaplain’s faith community.
Participate in on-call coverage as needed.

Benefits

Paid time off programs.
Medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability benefits.
Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
Adoption assistance and paid parental leave.
Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match.
Financial wellness programs.
Educational Assistance Program.
Premium pay, such as shift and on-call pay, based on the teammate’s job.
Incentive pay for select positions.
Opportunity for annual increases based on performance.