Job Overview

Employment Type:

Part time

Shift:

Description:

POSITION PURPOSE:
Provides spiritual and emotional care to patients, family members, other visitors and associates, referring special needs to appropriate staff; arranges follow-up spiritual support for patients and families. May be called upon for prayer and religious services and to assist in ethical decisions. Must be able to work independently. In doing so, collaborates with physicians, nurses and other members of the healing team.

SCOPE OF SERVICE:
Customers include: patients, visitors, employees, students, physicians, and clergy.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
1. Adheres to the principles of caring and expected behaviors outlined in MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center's Model of Caring and Trinity Health's Code of Conduct, fostering a climate where all customers are treated in a manner consistent with MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center's Mission and Values.
2. Maintains a working knowledge of applicable Federal, State and local laws and regulations, Trinity Health’s Organizational Integrity Program, Standards of Conduct, as well as other policies and procedures in order to ensure adherence in a manner that reflects honest, ethical and professional behavior. Actively demonstrates the organization’s mission and core values, and conducts oneself at all times in a manner consistent with these values.
3. Receives referrals and visits patients to assess and meet spiritual needs. Makes referrals to other spiritual care team members and/or clergy per patient request.
4. Provides spiritual care to patients, family members, other visitors to the hospital, and associates in the hospital setting.
5. Provides for patients' needs by listening, discerning, affirming and/or confronting and counseling to give some meaning to patients' illness and suffering.
6. Provides follow up care as appropriate (i.e. notes, literature, phone calls, or presiding at funeral or memorial services).
7. Functions as a member of the interdisciplinary team through consultation, charting, staff report, and case conferences as appropriate.
8. Clarifies and seeks to meet the spiritual care needs of assigned units using judgment in setting priorities, i.e., critically ill, pre-operative, new admission, referral.
9. Gives emotional and spiritual assistance whenever needed or when crisis situations occur to patients, families and staff, regardless of the religious affiliation.
10. Provides meaningful worship and sacramental opportunities.
11. Facilitates communication among patients, family, visitors, staff, and physicians, especially in regard to issues of holistic and integrated care, and ethical issues and decisions.
12. Maintains ongoing communication with other members of the health care team.
13. Maintains communication within Spiritual Care through all available and appropriate means, especially across shifts and among facilities to maintain continuity of care.
14. Welcomes clergy and pastoral ministers, maintains open lines of communication, and facilitates their ministry within the facility.
15. Coordinates Spiritual Care volunteers to support professional staff services.
16. Engages in programs, workshops, conventions and other opportunities for education that promotes and increases effectiveness in ministry.
17. Provides spiritual care at the time of death and is responsible for the completion of designated forms.
18. Serves as extraordinary minister of the Eucharist (Catholic only).
19. As assigned, is specifically responsible for:
• Daily celebration of Mass (Catholic Priest only)
• Administration of Sacraments as appropriate: Anointing of Sick, Reconciliation, Baptism, etc.
20. Actively participates in department meetings, committees, conferences, and in-services.
21. Performs other duties consistent with purpose of job as directed.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
1. Maintains a professional, collaborative work environment so as to foster a positive public image for MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center.
2. Knows and adheres to all laws and regulations pertaining to patient health, safety and medical information (i.e. HIPAA, Stark, etc.).
3. Must possess a personal presence that is characterized by a sense of honesty, integrity, and caring with the ability to inspire and motivate others to promote the philosophy, mission, vision, goals, and values of MercyOne and Trinity Health.
4. Ability to exercise considerable tact and discretion when dealing with sensitive issues and confidential information.
5. Ensure that services are provided in a manner that supports continuous quality improvement and customer-oriented focus.
6. Must possess self-understanding, which allows the individual to relate to others with flexibility, integrity and authenticity.
7. Must have a working knowledge of various theological and philosophical approaches to death, pain, suffering and meaning in life.
8. Is familiar with, and able to explain as necessary, the provisions of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services
9. Must have familiarity with forms of ritual, worship and prayer that add meaning and bring comfort to individuals who are suffering in body, mind and soul.
10. Demonstrates respect for individuals of diverse religious, cultural and racial backgrounds, and affirms their religious, cultural, and spiritual freedom. Refrains from imposing doctrinal positions or spiritual practices on individuals encountered in their professional role as chaplain.
11. Must possess the ability to relate calmly with empathy and compassion to individuals in crisis.
12. Must be able to travel between ministry sites using own vehicle.
13. Crisis Intervention Skills.
14. Good physical and emotional health.
15. Ability to relate well with others and commitment to team ministry.
16. Must be competent to provide care within assigned unit to the population described in the Unit's description of services.
17. Knows and adheres to all laws and regulations pertaining to patient health, safety and medical information.
18. Maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with staff.
19. Maintain an excellent working relationship within the department and with all of our internal customers.
20. Listen effectively and recognizes other points of view.
21. Assigned hours within your shift, starting time, or days of work are subject to change based on the changing needs of the department and/or the organization.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:
1. Ability to be mobile in order to provide care.
2. In an 8-hour day, the employee must sit for 2 hours, stand for 2 hours, and walk for 4 hours.
3. Employee’s job requires occasional (5-10% of work time) squatting, crawling, crouching, kneeling, balancing, frequent bending/stooping, and reaching above shoulder level, and pushing/pulling.
4. Job requires the use of hands for simple and firm grasping and fine manipulating.
5. Job requires high level of mental concentration to attain established deadlines. Working environment includes frequent interruptions.
6. May be exposed to marked changes in temperature and humidity, infectious diseases, hazardous waste, and chemicals.
7. Job requires lifting and carrying frequent (21-50% of work time) 11-24 lbs., and occasionally (6-10% of work time) up to 50 lbs. without assistance.
8. Must be able to see at a near visual acuity level.
9. Must be able to speak and hear speech.
10. As assigned, provides weekend and night coverage on a rotating basis.
11. Must adhere to applicable organizational requirements on an annual basis for Employee Health Directives.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
(EDUCATION, LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED):
1. Education and Licensure for all chaplains:
• Bachelor’s degree in religion, theology, counseling or related field required; master’s degree preferred. Knowledge of spiritual care and theology.

2. Experience:
• FT/PT Chaplain: A minimum of 1-2 years prior spiritual care experience is required; three years is preferred.
• PRN/On-Call Chaplain: Sufficient pastoral experience to be able to respond independently, providing comfort and care to those who are ill, in pain, or suffering in any way. Must be able to respond in a crisis setting according to the policies, procedures and timeframe of MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center.

3. Special Skills, Competencies, and Aptitudes:
A. FT/PT Chaplains: Two completed units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) through ACPE (Association for Clinical Pastoral Education) is recommended upon hire. Four completed units at hire are preferred.
B. FT/PT Chaplains: Application for full Board Certification, through BCCI (Board of Chaplaincy Certification, Inc.), or through NACC (National Association of Catholic Chaplains) within four years of hire is recommended.
C. PRN/On-Call Chaplains: One unit of CPE or equivalent supervised clinical professional training in a hospital setting is required. Additional CPE units preferred.
D. A general working knowledge of computers and department specific software (i.e. Microsoft Office, Cerner, Powerchart, Epic, Health Stream, internet, etc.).
E. Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Mandatory Reporter Training is required within 6 months of hire and every 5 years thereafter.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Trinity Health is a family of 115,000 colleagues and nearly 26,000 physicians and clinicians across 25 states. Because we serve diverse populations, our colleagues are trained to recognize the cultural beliefs, values, traditions, language preferences, and health practices of the communities that we serve and to apply that knowledge to produce positive health outcomes. We also recognize that each of us has a different way of thinking and perceiving our world and that these differences often lead to innovative solutions.

Our dedication to diversity includes a unified workforce (through training and education, recruitment, retention, and development), commitment and accountability, communication, community partnerships, and supplier diversity.