Chaplain | PRN

Job Description:

A Brief Overview
Accountable to minister to the spiritual and emotional needs of the patient/family/residents and staff. This role is responsible for collaborating with peers, fellow employees and leaders, using theological and clinical training to help patients, families, and staff members cope with illness, trauma, death, and loss more effectively. The Chaplain will assess the patient's spiritual practices/values and assist in accommodating and integrating these values into the patient's medical plan of care and will communicate the spiritual assessment results as needed to the patient's interdisciplinary health care team all while maintaining an atmosphere of Christian, patient centered care at Avera.

What you will do

• Work with patients/families to understand implications of the suggested medical treatment plan in the framework of their spiritual beliefs, to work through difficult issues, and to support the interdisciplinary health care team.
• Available to consult and debrief with Avera departments, groups, and individual staff members in the event of unexpected or unsettling events. Communicate with the interdisciplinary health care team and obtain pertinent information regarding the patient’s condition, family dynamics, and the health care teams’ understanding of the need for spiritual care.
• Plan, facilitate, coordinate, and deliver pastoral and spiritual care to patients, families and staff who are formally consulted, who may be referred as part of the interdisciplinary team, the patient’s/family’s request, or through general rounding throughout the Avera facilities. Explore with the patient and family belief and meaning in illness and crisis situations, respecting the goals, desires, and choices of each person.
• Gather and evaluate relevant data pertinent to the patient’s situation and/or bio- psycho-social-spiritual/religious health. Assessment and reassessment are fundamental parts of the Chaplain’s duties, assisting other team members in the development of the patient’s plan of care.
• Assist patients/families/staff in times of crisis, bereavement, and important end of life questions and decisions. This will include addressing patients and families in distress.
• Provide encouragement and support during illness, empowering patients to embrace their spiritual/religious strengths and inner resources for healing.
• Proficient in planning, facilitating, coordinating and delivering leadership of spirituality groups, ecumenical devotional services, family conferences, public prayers at Avera meetings, including but not limited to dedications and remembrance services.
• Serve as a liaison to Catholic Chaplains to assist in facilitating and coordinating Sacramental Roman Catholic Ministry needs and requests. Serve as a liaison to community clergy; contacting them for specific family/patient needs or requests. Be a public relations advocate and may invite community clergy to visit their parishioners as appropriate, within Avera policies and guidelines.
• Document information in the electronic record that is relevant to the patient’s medical, psycho-social and spiritual/religious goals. The documentation recognizes regulatory guidelines regarding confidentiality, while providing the interdisciplinary team with information about relevant spiritual needs and concerns that impact the patient’s care and disposition.

Essential Qualifications

The individual must be able to work the hours specified. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily including having visual acuity adequate to perform position duties and the ability to communicate effectively with others, hear, understand and distinguish speech and other sounds. These requirements and those listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential job functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions, as long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer.

Required Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:

• High School or GED Equivalent

Preferred Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:

• Bachelor's in Theology, Religious Studies or related field.
• Association of Professional Chaplains (Board Certified Chaplain) - Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. Upon Hire
• Clinical Pastoral Education - 1 Unit - Association of Pastoral Education # of units and timeframe to complete may vary by region. Upon Hire
• Drivers License - Licensing Board Upon Hire
• Good standing in the church, denomination and/or religious order through ecclesiastical endorsement.
• 1-3 years of pastoral experience
• Knowledge and appreciation of Catholic Ethical and Religious Directives

Expectations and Standards

• Commitment to the daily application of Avera’s mission, vision, core values, and social principles to serve patients, their families, and our community.
• Promote Avera’s values of compassion, hospitality, and stewardship.
• Uphold Avera’s standards of Communication, Attitude, Responsiveness, and Engagement (CARE) with enthusiasm and sincerity.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Work effectively in a team environment, coordinating work flow with other team members and ensuring a productive and efficient environment.
• Comply with safety principles, laws, regulations, and standards associated with, but not limited to, CMS, The Joint Commission, DHHS, and OSHA if applicable.