Chaplain

Tracking Code

2022-14583

Shift

Varies

Job Location

Jacksonville, Illinois

Description

Direct the Pastoral Care Department as part of the institution’s commitment to quality Pastoral Care. The Chaplain visits patients, handles death calls and crisis interventions, counsels employees, attends hospital committee meetings, directs the Volunteer Chaplain program, provides continuing education experiences to area clergy, and coordinates all spiritual matters regarding our patients and families. Embodies the Memorial Health System Performance Excellence Standards of Safety, Courtesy, Quality, and Efficiency that support our mission, vision and values.

Required Skills

• As part of the institution’s comprehensive patient care plan, provide a religious ministry primarily to the patients, but also to the families of patients and to the employees, medical staff, and students of the institution.
• Counsel and advise patients, their families, friends and hospital staff members.
• Presents sermons and lead others in prayer, provide community prayers when necessary and be available to give lectures to ministerial students, community workers, and to hospital personnel.
• Visit newly admitted patients on a caring level.
• Embodies the Memorial Health System Performance Excellence Standards of Safety, Courtesy, Quality, and Efficiency that support our mission, vision and values:

• • SAFETY: Prevent Harm - I put safety first in everything I do. I take action to ensure the safety of others.
  • COURTESY: Serve Others - I treat others with dignity and respect. I project a professional image and positive attitude.
  • QUALITY: Improve Outcomes - I continually advance my knowledge, skills and performance. I work with others to achieve superior results.
  • EFFICIENCY: Reduce Waste - I use time and resources wisely. I prevent defects and delays.

• Make routine visits to rooms and other patient care areas, providing counsel and advice on problems and questions of spiritual guidance and personal adjustment.
• Determine the patients who have no church preference or probability of pastoral ministry at Passavant and those whose pastors will be visiting them, and provide chaplaincy ministry, especially to the former.
• Contact the patient’s pastor to inform him or her of hospitalization and condition of patient.
• Arrange pastoral care for non-English speaking patients as needed.
• Perform church rites, such as baptism or final blessings, or arrange for appropriate religious leader to do so, as required by the patient or family.
• Lead patients in regularly scheduled religious services, and schedule chapel functions that include visiting clergy persons.
• Conduct special services, such as the Christmas Eve service, Christmas Day service, Maundy Thursday service, and Good Friday services.
• Coordinate pastoral care activities with those of other departments to insure adequate medical and spiritual help for the patient.
• Meet with members of the hospital administrative staff and the Pastoral Care Committee of Passavant to formulate program policies to provide formal and informal religious services for patients and attending families.
• Confer with department heads to explain program and to solicit cooperation in program objectives.
• Coordinate the pastoral care program with the activities of other departments to prevent interruption.
• Provide linkage between hospital staff and family and friends of the patients during periods of crisis, such as in critical illness, lengthy surgery, accidents or death.
• Work to be a consultant and resource person to the local clergy as much as possible and participate in the local Ministerial Association meetings.
• Participate in the Cardiac Rehabilitation program as a consultant on stress reduction.
• Provide quality programs in other areas, such as Chaplaincy, Hospice, and Humor.
• Participates as a department head in the development and implementation of administrative policies as they relate to the provision of pastoral services.
• Plan seminars and discussion sessions on medical disciplines for religious leaders and others, often using a yearly event as a way in which this information will be provided.
• Ministerial training programs and staff and community pastoral education should be developed and coordinated with hospital medical programs to insure smooth functioning and sound instruction for individuals involved.
• Serves as a liaison with pastors, congregations, community service agencies, and professional and service clubs to provide a resource and to secure their cooperation.
• Reports to the Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer on any matters that pertain to spiritual and pastoral care.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide services appropriate to all age groups.
• Works continuously to provide patients with a great experience during hospital visit.
• Performs other related work as required or requested.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. Incumbents may be requested to perform tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Required Experience

Education:

The Chaplain will be a graduate of a seminary program along with possession of ordination and denominational endorsement.

Licensure/Certification/Registry:

Professional certification as a chaplain by one of the national clergy certifying organizations concerned with pastoral care in institutions is also preferred.

Experience:

A minimum of three years of full-time pastoral experience beyond ordination, at least two units of clinical pastoral education in an accredited center, a Fellow (or working towards a Fellow) in the College of Chaplains, and one to two years of hospital pastoral experience.