Hospice Chaplain Job Description
Hospice chaplain
provides spiritual care to Hospice patients/families at home or in-patient settings according to the Standards for Excellence in Spiritual Care established by the Trinity Health Care System, regulatory agencies and national competency standards for Hospice chaplains.
Hospice Chaplain Duties & Responsibilities
To write an effective hospice chaplain job description, begin by listing detailed duties, responsibilities and expectations. We have included hospice chaplain job description templates that you can modify and use.
Sample responsibilities for this position include:
Assess spiritual needs and provide consultation to patients/families/caregivers in a timely and supportive manner
Contact clergy or spiritual counselors to assist in spiritual care of patients and family members upon request
Develop and document plan for spiritual care, in conjunction with the interdisciplinary team
Attend IDT for the review, revision/update, and overall coordination of the plan of care for spiritual services
Complete all documentation in relation to the established plan of care
Maintain working list of local community resources for spiritual and religious supportive services
Incorporate all needed direct services including spiritual and/or religious community resources into the plan of care as deemed necessary and/or directed by IDT
Conduct pre-bereavement contacts with the patient and family as assigned in the Hospice Plan of Care
Conduct Bereavement Assessments, visits, and other contacts as assigned, creating appropriate documentation
Network with faith communities for the purposes of teaching about the hospice philosophy
Hospice Chaplain Qualifications
Qualifications for a job description may include education, certification, and experience.
Licensing or Certifications for Hospice Chaplain
List any licenses or certifications required by the position: AMHC, AAPC, AAMFT, CPE, CPR, BLS, NACC, BCC, APC, COC
Education for Hospice Chaplain
Typically a job would require a certain level of education.
Employers hiring for the hospice chaplain job most commonly would prefer for their future employee to have a relevant degree such as Master's and Bachelor's Degree in Seminary, Divinity, Theology, Graduate, School of Theology, Education, Ministry, Supervision, Master of Divinity, Pastoral Ministry
Skills for Hospice Chaplain
Desired skills for hospice chaplain include:
Commitment to hospice philosophy of care
Competency in computer documentation
Hospice philosophy of care and end of life spiritual issues
Age-specific spiritual resources
Belief in hospice concept of care
Appreciation for the Christian witness inherent in the philosophy of Catholic healthcare
Both Christian and non-Christian
Communication devices to perform tasks
Computer software
Death and bereavement
Desired experience for hospice chaplain includes:
Bachelors or higher degree from an accredited seminary or school of theology (Bachelors of Divinity, Masters of Divinity or equivalent theology degree or training)
Minimum of one (1) year of experience in a health care setting or with death and dying
Must have reliable transportation, current driver’s license, and agency-required liability insurance to perform home visits
Provide funeral or memorial services for patients as requested
Conduct or participate in the memorial service(s) for employees, facilities, and family members of Company’s Bereavement Program as required or requested
Graduate of accredited seminary or school of theology (B.D., M.Div
Hospice Chaplain Examples
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Hospice Chaplain Job Description
Job Description Example
Our innovative and growing company is hiring for a hospice chaplain. To join our growing team, please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications.
Responsibilities for hospice chaplain
- Provide direct spiritual care to patients/families/caregivers
- Serve as a liaison and support to community chaplains and spiritual counselors and documents direct services and on-going communication
- Document clinical records of spiritual care services utilization and related activities for quality assurance, program development, and policy and procedure review and revision
- Serve as a member of the Interdisciplinary Group, providing consultation, education, and support on spiritual care
- Attend patient care conferences
- Recruit community chaplains, spiritual counselors, and spiritual care volunteers adequate to meet patient/family/caregiver needs by developing community contacts and offering education through congregations about hospice care
- Assist in planning annual memorial services to meet the needs of personnel, volunteers, and community clergy/spiritual counselors working with the hospice team
- Assist in supervision of spiritual care volunteers when assigned to patient/families/caregivers
- Provide support to family members in the period of bereavement in coordination with other team members
- Assist in reviewing chaplain programs/services, at least annually, to assure spiritual objectives are being met, and make recommendations accordingly
Qualifications for hospice chaplain
- Provide for funeral or memorial services for patients as requested
- Providing education and ethical consultation for patients, family, staff and volunteers
- As a Chaplain, you will most likely be assigned to service with specific service lines, however, may be temporarily assigned or reassigned at management's discretion
- Must be certified by one of the above certifying bodies within three years of employment if not currently certified
- Current knowledge of the theological, medical-moral issues which supports the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church
- Provide pastoral care to hospice patients, families, and staff as needed to support the end of life journey and staff associated professional support
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Hospice Chaplain Job Description
Job Description Example
Our innovative and growing company is looking for a hospice chaplain. To join our growing team, please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications.
Responsibilities for hospice chaplain
- Coordinates and organizes home visits in the best interest of time and travel
- Provides ongoing pastoral counseling with patients/caregivers as appropriate
- Coordinates chaplaincy ministry with the clergy and/or church of the patient's choice
- Develop and maintain a resource group of clergy to assist with patient/family spiritual needs
- Perform occasional liturgical assignments including the annual Memorial Service and weekly devotional and memorial service with Staff
- Participates in the overall plan of care for patients
- Establishes and facilitates community relations in geographic areas served by the hospice program
- Minister to diverse religious, educational and cultural patient/family population
- Perform other specific assignments as directed by the Director
- Conducting initial spiritual assessments follow up visits and contact with hospice patients and their families
Qualifications for hospice chaplain
- Certification eligible clinical chaplain candidates will be expected to complete their board certification within 2 years of hire date
- Must have endorsement from sponsoring faith community as part of endorsement
- Current Basic Life Support (BLS) -or- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) within 30 days of hire
- Provide direct pastoral non-denominational care to Hospice patients and families including spiritual assessment, crisis intervention, counseling and linkage with spiritual resources
- Assess spiritual needs of patients/families/caregivers in a timely manner, and provide consultation
- Contact clergy or spiritual counselors to assist in spiritual care of patients and family members
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Hospice Chaplain Job Description
Job Description Example
Our company is looking for a hospice chaplain. To join our growing team, please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications.
Responsibilities for hospice chaplain
- Makes spiritual assessments and provides appropriate interventions
- Participates effectively with the staff as part of the multi-disciplinary health care team
- Plans/conducts workshops and in-service programs for hospital staff as necessary
- Develops relationships with staff which allow for the provision of support during times of high stress and crisis
- Provides liaison and educational for community clergy
- Facilitates therapy and/or support groups for patients or the community at large
- Work under the direction of the Director of Pastoral Care and in conjunction with the Hospice Program Manager
- Provide Pastoral Care to Hospice patients, families and hospice staff
- Be responsible for the provision of spiritual care services to patients / families / caregivers of TrinityCare Hospice, either directly or through coordination of care with other spiritual counselors
- Serve as liaison and support to community chaplains and spiritual counselors
Qualifications for hospice chaplain
- Develop and document plan for spiritual care, in conjunction with the interdisciplinary team when requested by team member or patient/family member
- Evaluate and revise plan for spiritual care of patients/families/caregivers with the interdisciplinary team on an ongoing basis
- Maintain records of spiritual care services utilization and related activities for quality assurance, program development and policy and procedure review and revision
- Establish networks with faith communities throughout the service area for the purposes of teaching about the hospice philosophy and enlisting aid in providing spiritual support
- Comply with local, state and federal laws, Medicare regulations, JCAHO standards and established policies and procedures
- Required Certification - 1 Unit Clinical Pastoral Education (Equivalency may be considered)
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Hospice Chaplain Job Description
Job Description Example
Our growing company is searching for experienced candidates for the position of hospice chaplain. Please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications. While this is our ideal list, we will consider candidates that do not necessarily have all of the qualifications, but have sufficient experience and talent.
Responsibilities for hospice chaplain
- Network and collaborate with appropriate community groups, such as parishes and other health agencies, in order to assure the continuity of spiritual care
- Works as a float to ensure caseload coverage and patient needs met
- As the Hospice Chaplain be responsible for the provision of spiritual care services to patients / families / caregivers of TrinityCare Hospice, either directly or through coordination of care with other spiritual counselors
- Participate in the development of the Interdisciplinary Group (IDG) Plan of Care to meet identified spiritual needs
- Attend patient care conference and IDG meets as a member of the IDG team
- Develops an individual plan for spiritual care in conjunction with the hospice interdisciplinary team, and when necessary in coordination with the patients/families/caregiver, church, clergy or spiritual family in order to accomplish a holistic plan of care for each patient/family/caregiver
- Actively serves as a resource to other spiritual leaders/counselors related to the delivery of services to Hospice patients
- Explains the Hospice Benefit to patients/families
- Participate in on call death visit requirements as needed
- Assess, develop and coordinate and/or deliver the spiritual care plan for patients and families who are receiving palliative care consultation
Qualifications for hospice chaplain
- Master’s Degree in theological, ministerial or related field from an accredited college or university
- Current driver’s license, use of a car and proof of auto insurance
- Minimum Experience - 1-3 years of experience providing spiritual/pastoral care in a health care environment to persons with life-limiting illness /trauma / end of life or experiences of grief and loss
- Preferred Experience - 3-5 years working with hospice / hospital / clinically acute and trauma populations
- He/she may also be an individual who has received training in Clinical Pastoral Education
- Advanced theological degree from an accredited seminary (or equivalent in endorsing body) and a minimum of four units of accredited Clinical Pastoral Education
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Hospice Chaplain Job Description
Job Description Example
Our innovative and growing company is looking for a hospice chaplain. Thank you in advance for taking a look at the list of responsibilities and qualifications. We look forward to reviewing your resume.
Responsibilities for hospice chaplain
- Attend monthly Palliative Care breakfast meetings
- Participate weekly on Palliative Care Team
- Attend monthly palliative care chaplain meetings
- Consult with physicians, NP's, and hospital staff regarding spiritual assessment and bio-ethical issues related to patient care
- Provide spiritual services to patients and families including a spiritual assessment and reassessment, spiritual counseling, spiritual emotional support direct care to ministers, clergy, rabbis as appropriate
- Participate in presentation of Chaplaincy services
- Participate in relevant educational activities to provide competent spiritual care to patients/caregivers and to seek personal and professional growth
- Assesses and documents the patients/families level of knowledge related to the patient's specific spiritual care needs with each visit
- Develop and Implement Plan of Care to meet the spiritual needs of the patients and families
- Participate in IDT to help facilitate end of life care for the hospice patients
Qualifications for hospice chaplain
- Hospice Chaplain experience preferred
- Position requires regular on-call responsibility
- Possible exposure to body fluids hazardous and poisonous materials
- Ability to react in emergency situations
- Possible exposure to infectious diseases
- Ability to work as a member of the Interdisciplinary Group (IDG)