Chaplain - Healthcare jobs in Schenectady, NY

Summary of Position: The Chaplain provides spiritual care to patients, families, and staff as appropriate and completes spiritual assessments. The Chaplain will use his/her theological and clinical training to help patients and families cope more effectively.  After assessing the patient’s spiritual practices/values, the Chaplain can help communicate these values to the patient’s interdisciplinary health care team.  Provides support for the hospital’s twenty-four hour operation.    

Primary Job Responsibilities: 

Chaplain Care: Provides pastoral care for patients and their families, continual care for long-term, seriously ill patients and their families, patients in palliative care treatment and grief support when death occurs or seems imminent.  Provides encouragement and support during these times to embrace spiritual/religious strength and inner resources for healing.  Helps address both patient and family distress. Completes spiritual/religious assessments during these situations, respecting the goals, desires and choices of each person. Provides a link between patients and their respective religious communities and clergy.  Establish religious worship and ritual needs (including sacramental needs). 

Teamwork and Collaboration: Works collaboratively as a member of the interdisciplinary team to help meet the goals/desires of the patient and family. Identifies and conducts referrals to appropriate and available clergy or religious leaders in the community. Participates in the assessment, education and resolution of medical ethical issues.

Patient Rights: Participates in committees and/or activities to assist in ensuring compliance with applicable patient rights and ethics standards under Joint Commission accreditation. Acts as a resource for advance directives.

Documentation: Maintains required documentation as needed.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree and Master of Divinity preferred. Four units of Clinical Pastoral Education preferred.  Four years’ experience in health care ministry preferred.

Certifications / Licensure: Board certification (or eligible) by Association of Professional Chaplains, National Association of Catholic Chaplains or National Association of Jewish Chaplains preferred.