Hospice Chaplain - Macon County And Surrounding Areas

Reports To

Spiritual Care Team Leader

Status

Salaried (Exempt)

FT, PT, PRN

Full-time; 40 hours per week

Shift

Monday - Friday 8AM-4:30PM, plus on call rotation; Flexible schedule may be discussed with hiring manager

Location

This position travels locally to areas in the following counties to visit patients in hospice care either at the patient's home, or in skilled nursing facilities: Cherokee, Macon, Clay, Swain, Jackson, and Graham. Mileage Reimbursement included.

Responsible for providing high quality and supportive end-of-life spiritual care services to hospice and palliative care patients and families/caregivers through reverence, compassion, respect, and unconditional regard for each person’s unique spirituality, honoring their faith and culture. Chaplains contribute to the Four Seasons holistic philosophy and practice which enables patients and families to accomplish their unique end-of-life and grief related/emotional goals with dignity and peace. They serve as core members of the interdisciplinary team and work closely with all team members to provide spiritual care and grief support in both the individual and group settings.

• Conduct initial and ongoing spiritual care assessments, care planning, and interventions for hospice patients’ to address patient/caregiver spiritual needs; as well as, address grief related needs related to the dying process
• Implement plan of care acknowledging and respecting the patient’s and family’s beliefs, traditions, culture and values related to life’s meaning, suffering and loss
• Evaluate grief needs of client/family/caregiver and develop grief centered plan of care based on that evaluation
  • Develop and deliver the plan of care to provide excellent person-centered holistic care in collaboration with other interdisciplinary team members
• Approach spiritual and religious needs of persons from an ecumenical base, crossing all theological, cultural, and social boundaries
• Communicate with and support involvement of local clergy and/or spiritual counselors as is possible and desired by the patient and family
• Provide appropriate spiritual care presentations to religious and community groups as requested for community relations and education
• Provide education to the interdisciplinary team members and patients and families regarding spirituality and related care and services
  • Complete Electronic Medical Record documentation, in accordance with professional standards and Four Seasons best practices
  • Provide spiritual/emotional/psycho-social support and care to Four Seasons employees and volunteers when requested and according to availability

• Actively participate in weekly Interdisciplinary Team meetings
• Lead and/or assist with funerals and memorial services as requested and according to availability
• Attend mandatory staff meetings/in-services and spiritual care clinical supervision meetings in support of Four Seasons development/growth
• Work to achieve performance goals, pursue progress toward individual development plan (IDP) and demonstrate Four Seasons values and competencies
• Demonstrate the ability to function in a variety of care environments, including: In-Patient Unit, Hospital, individual home settings, group home settings, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, etc.
• Provide on-going training/education to new employees through collaboration, education and ride-a-longs
• Practice safety and infection control methods
• Ability to work flexible hours, if needed
• Practice within the scope of license, certification (where applicable) and as required by law and regulation
• Perform duties in compliance with Medicare Condition of Participation

• Performs other, yet similar, duties as assigned

• Knowledge of HIPAA privacy rules and regulations
• Knowledge of electronic medical records systems

• Basic data entry skills

• Excellent organization skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines
• Ability to connect and work with community spiritual care providers
• Ability to take initiative and utilize innovative techniques and ingenuity
• Ability to interact with various departments throughout the organization
• Ability to work flexible hours, if needed
• Ability to participate as a team player to coordinate projects
• Ability to plan, prioritize and coordinate multiple projects

Education:

• Master of Divinity or an equivalent graduate degree in the field of Theology, Religious Education, Pastoral Counseling, or Pastoral/Ministerial Studies.
• One or more Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) units, and other theological or spiritual studies (related ministerial or employment experience may be acceptable substitute qualifications).
• Ecclesiastical endorsement; Ordination and/or other recognition/endorsement by a recognized ecclesiastical organization or society.

Experience:

Licensures & Certifications: (if applicable)

• Visual and auditory ability necessary to perform spiritual care

• Ability to sit for prolonged periods of time; in excess of four hours per day

• Ability to transport self to administrative offices and patient locations

All descriptions have been reviewed to ensure that only essential functions and basic duties have been included. Peripheral tasks, only incidentally related to each position, have been excluded. Requirements, skills, and abilities included have been determined to be the minimal standards required to successfully perform the duties of the position. In no instance, however, should the duties, responsibilities, and requirements delineated be interpreted as all-inclusive. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned as deemed appropriate.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is possible that requirements may be modified to reasonably accommodate disabled individuals.