Chaplain

BETHESDA

CHAPLAIN

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Summary: Ministers to the spiritual needs of all residents, families, and employees of Bethesda through visitation, counseling, conducting religious services, and facilitating the ministry of clergy from external organizations with whom residents maintain membership. Actively strengthens and reinforces the relationship of member churches with Bethesda.

Job Relationships:

1. Reports to: Chaplain Supervisor
2. Interrelationships with: Residents, families, and Bethesda employees.
3. External Contacts: Local clergy and member churches.

Hours of Work: Hours may vary and are subject to change based on ministry needs, including occasional unscheduled or on-call responsibilities. 

Dress Code: Business casual attire. Footwear: Professional shoes. Hair and Hygiene: Maintain a high standard of cleanliness, oral hygiene and deodorant. Neat and professional hairstyle. Identification: Visible name badge, worn on chest area. PPE: Compliance with facility guideline for masks, gloves, goggles, etc. if applicable. Piercings: Covered or removes if distracting or unprofessional. Tattoos: Covered if unprofessional or offensive. General Appearance: Neat and professional attire. Nails must be kept clean and neatly trimmed or filed. Jeans with no holes or rips may be worn on Fridays.

Essential Requirements of Work: (Minimum qualifications necessary to function at full productivity.)

1. Education and training: Completion of an appropriate theological education (Master of Divinity, MDiv) or equivalent training. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) experience preferred.
2. Certification: Ordination or endorsement by a recognized religious body, enabling the performance of religious rites and sacraments.
3. Experience: Previous experience in chaplaincy or parish is preferred.
4. Proficiency: Strong interpersonal and pastoral care skills, particularly in crisis and emotionally intense situations; ability to lead worship services.
5. Personal: Personal and professional integrity, planning and organizing work activities, and time management.

Physical Demands of the Job:

1. Ability to speak clearly in normal to elevated volume.
2. Ability to hear others in normal to low volume.
3. Frequent independent mobility within Bethesda facilities.
4. Regular travel within approximately 25 miles.

Mental Demands of the Job:

1. Must be able to participate in meaningful dialogue with others.
2. Must be capable of deductive and inductive reasoning.
3. Must be capable of empathy and emotional awareness.
4. Think both concretely and abstractly.
5. Communicate creatively and effectively.
6. Develop and foster personal insight in self and others.
7. Maintain emotional control in high-stress situations.
8. Respect and navigate differing perspectives.

Principle Job Responsibilities:

Responsibility: Provides pastoral care to residents and their families.

Tasks:

1. Assess needs for pastoral care of all incoming residents.
2. Ensure access to resources that support residents’ spiritual needs
3. Fosters the continued spiritual growth of residents through individual and group activities.
4. Educate staff on residents’ spiritual needs and promotes a spiritually supportive environment

Responsibility: Provides situational spiritual support to staff members, referring them to appropriate resources for long-term support.

 Tasks:

1. Ensures staff members are aware of support services available from Chaplaincy.
2. Assess the spiritual needs of staff members seeking support.
3. Minister to the immediate spiritual needs identified.
4. Facilitate referral to appropriate resources. 

Responsibility: Provides spiritual care to all Bethesda Hospice patients.

1. Collaborates with the interdisciplinary hospice team to ensure holistic patient care.
2. Provides compassionate end-of-life support and bereavement care to patients and their families.
3. Offers pastoral presence, prayer, and spiritual counsel to patients and families.
4. Conducts and documents spiritual care assessments in accordance with organizational policies.

Responsibility: Maintains cooperative and productive relationships with member congregations.

Tasks:

1. Meets regularly with congregational clergy and members of local religious organizations.
2. Encourage residents’ continued connection with their home churches.
3. Communicate Bethesda’s ministry, activities, and needs to supporting congregations.

Professional and Personal Growth:

1. Participate in annual performance evaluations.
2. Engage in activities that support personal and professional development.
3. Participates in all required in-service programs at Bethesda.