Chaplain

Job Summary:

The role involves offering clinically based pastoral ministry with love and compassion to patients, families, significant others, and employees during periods of illness, injury, crisis, or in the end-of-life journey.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides clinically based pastoral ministry to patients, residents, and their families during times of crisis, including surgery, critical illnesses, and end-of-life situations.
• Assists patients and families in accepting death when recovery is not possible.
• Responds promptly to codes and emergency calls, adhering to protocol.
• Offers on-call services 24/7 while on duty.
• Supports social workers in handling Living Wills/Advanced Directives for patients and families.
• Participates in discharge planning conferences with the healthcare team.
• Collaborates with medical staff when requested by patients or families.
• Documents pastoral activities and notes in electronic medical records.
• Coordinates and conducts chapel worship services and religious services for special occasions.
• Facilitates the televising of religious services on in-house closed-circuit TV.
• Manages spiritual care data and oversees recruitment, training, and supervision of volunteers.
• Coordinates Eucharist availability and communal Anointing of the Sick for Catholic residents.
• Facilitates Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum for residents and families.
• Distributes Holy Communion and performs emergency baptisms as needed.
• Refers residents for sacramental needs and coordinates parish visits.
• Maintains accreditation and confidentiality standards.
• Ensures compliance with professional certifying body standards.
• Utilizes tools of Pastoral Services: Prayer, Scripture, Witness, and Sacrament.
• Provides annual self-evaluation and sets personal and professional goals.
• Provides pastoral care and spiritual support to residents of various faith traditions.
• Initiates personal contracts with residents/families and conducts pastoral assessments.
• Coordinates chapel worship services and religious events for special occasions.
• Facilitates sympathy ministry and coordinates financial assistance programs.
• Serves on committees as needed.
• This job description encompasses pastoral and sacramental duties, administrative tasks, and adherence to professional standards, ensuring comprehensive spiritual care within the healthcare setting.
• Supports and promotes the mission and values of Covenant Health Ministry.
• Other duties as consistent with this role.

Job Requirements

Job Knowledge and Skills

• Theology competence: basic understanding of the 10 areas of contemporary theology 

 1) Christian anthropology and eschatology 

 2) Ecclesiology 

 3) Healing as understood in scripture 

 4) Moral theology 

 5) General and medical ethics 

 6) The meaning of suffering 

 7) The theology of ministry 

 8) Spirituality and prayer 

 9) Canon Law 

 10) Sacraments 

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Demonstrated customer service skills and a friendly, professional demeanor.
• Requires independent worker with good problem solving and organizational skills.
• Group facilitation skills desirable.
• Training and experience to minister to all age groups.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and work schedules.
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology.
• Must be able to speak clearly, read, write, and comprehend the English language, and to conceptualize and articulate Catholic Theology and principles of Health Care Ministry. 
• Basic listening and communication skills and effective intervention in chronic and acute Personal relationship to God and the practice of prayer and lives out our mission values of compassion, respect, excellence and stewardship. 
• Ability to access patients’ rooms in all units, stamina for occasional long hours and for middle of the night emergency responses.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or master’s degree (preferred) in Theology or related field.
• Competence in Contemporary Theology.
• Certified by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains or other COMISS recognized certifying body (i.e., AAPC, APC, ACPE, NAJC, NACAC).
• Minimum of 2 years of hospital or parish ministry.

Covenant Health Mission Statement

We are a Catholic health ministry, providing healing and care for the whole person, in service to all in our communities.

Our Core Values: