Hospice Chaplain

A chaplain is a religious or spiritual leader who provides emotional and spiritual support to individuals in various Hospice settings. They offer counseling, perform religious rituals, provide comfort during times of crisis or grief, and promote spiritual well-being.

Responsibilities

• Assures spiritual assessment of patients and families/caregivers in the hospice program and appropriate services are rendered in a timely manner.
• Facilitates the development of the individualized the plan of care by participating in the comprehensive assessment to meet identified spiritual needs.
• Provides direct spiritual care to patients and families/caregivers.
• Maintains records of spiritual care services utilization and related activities for quality assurance, program development, and policies and procedures review and revision.
• Documents direct services and ongoing communication with community chaplains and spiritual counselors.
• Attends patient care conference and interdisciplinary group meetings as a member of the interdisciplinary group.
• Provides consultation, education, and support to the interdisciplinary group on spiritual care.
• Recruits community chaplains, spiritual counselors, and spiritual care volunteers adequate to meet patient and family/caregiver needs by developing community contacts and offering education through congregations about hospice care.
• Provides for funeral or memorial services for patients as requested.
• Plans periodic memorial services to meet the needs of personnel, volunteers, and community clergy/spiritual counselors working with the hospice team.
• Actively participates in quality assessment performance improvement teams and activities.
• Accepts and performs other related duties and responsibilities as required.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited theology or chaplaincy program (BD, MDiv or equivalent theological degree).
• Experience working with death and dying, hospice experience preferred.
• Knowledge of and commitment to hospice philosophy of care.
• Ability to accept different lifestyles, cultures, beliefs, and values.