Chaplain Coordinator

Overview

The Chaplain Coordinator is a full member of the healthcare team who provides for the pastoral needs of patients, families, and staff. Specifically, the chaplain, through professional training and certification, assists patients, and their loved ones to understand more fully life's events as they relate to their spiritual and emotional well-being. From the patient's, family members and staff’s life experience, the chaplain may offer prayer or reflection.

The Chaplain Coordinator is responsible for the delivery of chaplaincy care to patients, their loved ones, and, as appropriate, staff under the direction of the Senior Manager of Patient Experience and Senior Director of Quality.   The Chaplain Coordinator will have responsibility to ensure that religious and spiritual needs of patients and their loved ones are met in areas to which he/she is assigned. The Chaplain Coordinator will report to the Senior Manager of Patient Experience and Senior Quality Director. 

Chaplain Coordinators promote an interdisciplinary approach to pastoral care among all chaplains. Additionally, they participate in maintenance of proper administrative procedures for the department in accordance with hospital policy and participate in the department’s plan for continuous quality improvement.

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Demonstrates through behavior Crestwood’s mission, vision and values as outlined in this document, Employee Handbook and the Power of Excellence.

The Chaplain Coordinator is a full member of the healthcare team who provides for the pastoral needs of patients, families, and staff. Specifically, the chaplain, through professional training and certification, assists patients, and their loved ones to understand more fully life's events as they relate to their spiritual and emotional well-being. From the patient's, family members and staff’s life experience, the chaplain may offer prayer or reflection.

The Chaplain Coordinator is responsible for the delivery of chaplaincy care to patients, their loved ones, and, as appropriate, staff under the direction of the Senior Manager of Patient Experience and Senior Director of Quality.   The Chaplain Coordinator will have responsibility to ensure that religious and spiritual needs of patients and their loved ones are met in areas to which he/she is assigned. The Chaplain Coordinator will report to the Senior Manager of Patient Experience and Senior Quality Director. 

Chaplain Coordinators promote an interdisciplinary approach to pastoral care among all chaplains. Additionally, they participate in maintenance of proper administrative procedures for the department in accordance with hospital policy and participate in the department’s plan for continuous quality improvement.

.

Demonstrates through behavior Crestwood’s mission, vision and values as outlined in this document, Employee Handbook and the Power of Excellence.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

1.      This position will report directly to the Senior Manager of Patient Experience.  Carry out the goals of the Pastoral Care Department in alignment with the Vision, Mission and Values of Huntsville Hospital.

2.      Round at hospital at a cadence set up through leadership, up to 16 hours per week, available 8:00am to 5:00 pm. Provide on-call coverage of approximately 4 hours per week on an as needed basis.

3.      Assist Senior Patient Experience Manager in rounding schedule on lowest performing units of the HCAHPS survey and lowest employee engagement results. 

4.      Assist in the coordination of clergy and pastoral visitors from the religious community

5.      Participate in delivering and arranging for appropriate chaplain care to patients, their loved ones and staff in specific areas of the hospital or to particular faith groups as assigned.

6.      Respond to: requests to see a chaplain, requests to call a patient’s church or place or worship, trauma, crisis, end-of life discussions, and staff counseling.

7.      Make rounds on new admissions and provide spiritual support as needed

8.      Regularly (as determined by goals and objectives) visits with all patients, families and staff daily giving priority to those in greatest need. Provide competent and compassionate spiritual care interventions based on spiritual needs assessment. Conduct spiritual screenings

9.      Provide confidential non-judgmental listening, counsel, guidance, direction and support; crisis and disaster intervention; bereavement counseling; and guidance in ethical decision making. Offer spiritual presence and listening during times of suffering and despair

10.   Address spiritual needs of hospital patients and their loved ones, aligned with patients’ values and preferences

11.   Comforts patients using inspirational resources important to them, such as blessing, prayer, meditation, or reading of sacred texts. Work to mitigate spiritual pain and to address end-of-life fears and hopes

12.   Provide spiritual support, counseling, grief and healing interventions, and education for hospital staff. Be available to staff and their families for professional and personal reasons.

13.   Offers guidance to families and staff who have no known alternative spiritual support and families with alternative support who will also benefit from a chaplains visit.

14.   Keep records of clinical activity to communicate with other members of the department and report to hospital administration on a monthly basis.

15.    Serve on hospital assigned committees as appointed and as the Staff Chaplain proxy as needed. 

16.   Participate in regular professional development activities.

17.   Facilitate the ministry of sacraments and rituals to support patients and families as they cope with health related crises.

18.   Respond to requests for chaplain care in a timely manner

19.   Provide help to hospital staff, including nurses, physicians, allied health personnel, and volunteers, who seek assistance with personal and spiritual problems

20.   Perform any other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education:  College or Seminary and at least 1-2 CPE that meets own faith groups educational requirements. Preferred to have completed a curriculum of theological classes and display competent skills in pastoral care.   

Experience:  Licensed and ordained minister by a recognized faith group. Must have blessing/approval/commissioning of faith group or congregation.

Preferred: Experience as a Hospital Chaplain.

Additional Skills/Abilities:  Strong interpersonal skills, strong leadership skills, Ability to establish rapport with others through effective listening skills, Ability to work as a team member and communicate relevant patient care information to appropriate health care staff. Willingness to work with and meet the spiritual needs of people of all religious faith, age, gender, sexual orientation, race, and ethnic backgrounds. Ability to communicate respectfully across cultures and with persons of different faiths is a valued asset.  Ability to deal with the stressful nature of hospital work .Ability to discern opinions from facts in patient documentation. Ability to maintain a calm demeanor. Ability to work independently and be flexible when faced with multiple priorities.