STAFF CHAPLAIN - COVENANT AT HOME/HOSPICE

Covenant HealthCare•Saginaw, MI

About The Position

As an integral member of the Hospice and Palliative Care Interdisciplinary team, the Chaplain provides spiritual and emotional support to patients, families, and staff, respectful of their cultural and religious beliefs. Demonstrates excellent customer service performance in that his/her attitude and actions are consistent with the standards contained in the Vision, Mission and Values of Covenant HealthCare and the commitment to Extraordinary Care for Every Generation.

Requirements

One unit of CPE training in a center that is accredited by the ACPE, Stephen Ministry training, BeFriender Ministry training, or equivalent training required.
Bachelor's degree or master's degree in Theology preferred.
Experience working with death and dying, individuals/family/caregiver.
BLS required.
Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Basic computer skills in data entry and word processing.
Ability to remain resilient and to provide pastoral care in crisis situations.
Comfortable and able to identify and facilitate a wide range of emotional/spiritual experiences for others, notably grief and anger.
Ability to remain mentally focused with tasks.
Ability to function within a self-directed team model and have a reasonable tolerance/flexibility for change.
Ability to relate to others with a high degree of interpersonal effectiveness.
Ability to work as member of interdisciplinary group.
Valid Michigan Driver’s License, reliable transportation and proof of auto insurance required.
Comfort in an interfaith setting.
Ability to network with community clergy and congregations.
Knowledge of and commitment to hospice philosophy of care.
Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards.
Constant hearing, visual accommodation and color vision.
Frequent standing, walking, sitting, reaching, handling, and talking.
Frequent near vision, midrange vision, far vision, depth perception and field of vision.
Frequent lifting 0-10 lbs.

Nice To Haves

One (1) unit of CPE preferred.
One (1) year of hospice and/or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Participates in the delivery of a complete program of pastoral care to patients, their loved ones and staff of all faith traditions or no faith tradition.
Assesses the spiritual and emotional needs of patients and families including psychosocial issues, adjustment to illness or disability, status of religious/spiritual coping; supports others in their process of identifying and applying their own values in decision making.
Practices ministry of presence requiring active listening skills and empathy and providing nonjudgmental support within the context of the patient’s culture, values, and belief systems.
Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide appropriate spiritual/emotional support to persons of all age groups.
Helps patients and families deal with spiritual and emotional issues, among them: forgiveness, hope, courage, perseverance, loss of control, and relationships.
Assists patients and families with ethical decision-making assistance (e.g. end-of-life decisions, information and execution of advance directives).
Provides prayer when appropriate, support and comfort hospice patient and her/his family.
Provides bereavement support.
Documents spiritual assessments and interventions in the patient’s medical record and intradepartmental records accurately, clearly, and in a timely manner following all established guidelines.
Provides appropriate bereavement worship services, for patients, families, and staff. Facilitates Hospice-sponsored support groups.
Participates in ongoing professional development.
Develops a practice of pastoral care that includes ongoing personal review of ministry skills and initiation of opportunities for improvement of service.
Participates in peer review process at least every two years.
Obtains necessary and appropriate continuing education for professional enhancement and maintenance of certification.
Develops and presents orientation and continuing education programs regarding spiritual care, advance directives, and bereavement for associates, staff.
Supports an interdisciplinary approach to pastoral care.
Participates as an active member of the hospice and palliative care interdisciplinary team with special skills in crisis intervention and conflict resolution.
Provides appropriate input regarding spiritual/emotional issues caregivers.
Serves on hospice and palliative care committees as appointed.
Supports efforts to foster spirituality in the workplace.
Participates in maintenance of administrative procedures for the department in accordance with institutional policy.
Maintains procedures to record pastoral care activity, to communicate with the other members of the department, and report to the department/institution.
Participates in the department’s plan for continuous quality improvement.
Participate in programs and administrative activities of the department.
Participates in departmental planning and implementation of goals and objectives of the department.
Able to assume role of Bereavement Coordinator supervising bereavement program and working with Hospice/Palliative Care Manager to maintain compliance with regulations as directed.
Demonstrates excellent customer service.
Demonstrates support of the vision, mission and values by individual actions.
Recognizes that our existence is to serve.
Contributes to organization’s success targets for patient satisfaction and net operating margin.
Other duties as assigned.