Chaplain - Hospice - Per Diem - Central Coast

Job Description Summary

The Hospice Chaplain is responsible for the provision of spiritual care services to patients and families/caregivers of Bridge/Gateway Hospice, either directly or through coordination of care with other spiritual counselors.

• Essential Job Functions/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 plan of care by participating in a comprehensive assessment to meet identified spiritual needs.
• Provides direct spiritual care to patients and families/caregivers.
• Serves as liaison and support to community chaplains and spiritual counselors.
• 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 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.
• Assists in supervision of spiritual care volunteers when assigned to patients/ families/caregivers
• Actively participates in quality assessment performance improvement teams and activities.
• Accepts and performs other related duties and responsibilities as required.
• Maintain current documentation on EMR system according to organization policies/procedures and applicable laws/regulations.
• Complies and maintains current CPR certification.
• Must adhere to the company attendance and reliability guidelines, which are an essential function of the job to ensure quality, and consistent patient care.

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbent(s) of this job.  The incumbent(s) may be requested to perform job related tasks other than those stated in the description.

Job Qualifications

• California only: Graduate of accredited seminary or school of theology (BD, MDiv or equivalent theological degree). Experience working with death and dying, individuals/family/caregiver. Minimum one (1) year of experience as a healthcare pastor/chaplain. Minimum of one (1) year of Hospice experience preferred.
• Ability to work as member of interdisciplinary group.
• Demonstrates Autonomy, organization, assertiveness, flexibility, and cooperation in performing job responsibilities.
• Comfortable in an interfaith setting.
• Knowledge of and commitment to hospice philosophy of care.
• Prolonged or considerable walking or standing. Able to lift supplies and equipment. Considerable reaching, bending, kneeling and/or crouching. Visual acuity and hearing to perform required skills
• If making home visits, you must be a licensed driver with an automobile that is insured in accordance with state and/or organization requirements and is in good working order.

Physical Requirements

• The ability to sit occasionally for 1-3 hours.
• The ability to frequently stand for 3-6 hours.
• The ability to occasionally drive/ operate foot control for 1-3 hours.
• The ability to walk intermittently on level and or unlevel surface for less than 1 hour.
• The ability to intermittently bend or climb for less than 1 hour.
• The ability to occasionally twist, kneel, crouch and crawl for 1-3 hours.
• The ability to lift 50 pounds frequently for 3-6 hours.
• The ability to lift greater than 50 pounds occasionally for 1-3 hours. 
• The ability to carry up to 50 pounds frequently for 3-6 hours. 
• The ability to carry greater than 50 pounds occasionally for 1-3 hours. 
• The ability to push up to 50 pounds frequently for 3-6 hours.
• The ability to push greater than 50 pounds occasionally for 1-3 hours. 
• The ability to pull up to 50 pounds frequently for 3-6 hours.
• The ability to pull greater than 50 pounds occasionally for 1-3 hours.