A Brief Overview
The Hospice Chaplain/Medical Social Worker (MSW) is a full-time member of the interdisciplinary team (IDT) responsible for providing comprehensive spiritual, emotional, psychosocial, and supportive care to hospice patients and their families. This dual-role position integrates professional chaplaincy and medical social work services to address the physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and cultural needs of patients facing serious illness and end-of-life care. The Chaplain/MSW provides spiritual counseling, psychosocial assessments, crisis intervention, grief support, care coordination, advance care planning, and resource referrals while promoting dignity, comfort, and quality of life in accordance with hospice philosophy and regulatory standards.
Qualifications
Education:
- Master's Degree Master of Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program required.
Experience:
- Two years of related experience. Requires a working knowledge of standard practices and procedures
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Master of Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program required.
- Master of Divinity (MDiv), Master of Theology, or equivalent theological degree preferred.
- Candidates possessing both MSW and MDiv are strongly preferred.
- Current LMSW or LCSW license in the state of practice (or eligibility for licensure).
- Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) through a recognized chaplaincy organization preferred.
- Ecclesiastical endorsement or ordination preferred.
- Valid driver's license with reliable transportation.
- Minimum of two (2) years of hospice, palliative care, healthcare, or medical social work experience preferred.
- Experience providing spiritual care and psychosocial counseling in healthcare settings preferred.
- Experience with grief counseling, crisis intervention, and end-of-life care strongly preferred.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and counseling skills.
- Strong assessment and clinical documentation abilities.
- Knowledge of hospice philosophy and CMS hospice regulations.
- Ability to provide culturally competent and spiritually sensitive care.
- Strong crisis intervention and conflict resolution skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team.
- Strong organizational and time management skills.
- Knowledge of community resources and care coordination.
- Ability to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.
Licenses & Certifications:
- DRIVER'S LICENSE
- ACLS CERTIFICATION
- LICENSED MASTER SOCIAL WORK OR
- LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER OR
Requirements:
Statement Of Employment Philosophy
Being a part of Tanner Health System is more than a job, it is a promise we make to treat every patient with exceptional service every time they walk through our doors. Service excellence is the foundation of our organizational culture and the expectations we all set for each other, our patients, physicians and our community. All employees agree to abide by a set of service standards. These standards are the promise we make to provide the best care possible, and represent our beliefs, values and who we strive to become. We each commit to making Tanner Health System a great place for our employees to work, for patients to receive care and for physicians to practice medicine.
Functions
Area of Responsibilities
Provide spiritual care assessments and develop individualized spiritual care plans.
Offer counseling, prayer, rituals, and spiritual support based on patient family preferences.
Participate in the IDT meetings and contribute to the ongoing plan of care. Communicate relevant spiritual concerns to the team members.
Collaborate with nurses, physicians, social workers, aides, and volunteers to ensure holistic patient care.
Assist in bereavement follow-up and grief support services as appropriate and provide guidance to families before and after death.
Support patients and families coping with grief, loss, and end-of-life transitions.
Respect and honor all cultural, spiritual, and religious beliefs and practices.
Facilitate connections with community clergy or spiritual resources when requested.
Document all patient interactions in the electronic medical records in a timely manner.
Maintain compliance with Hospice regulations, policies, and standards.
Provide spiritual support to Hospice staff as needed (e.g., debriefing after patient death)
Participate in community outreach or education related to Hospice services when applicable.
Compliance Statement
Employee performs within the prescribed limits of Tanner Health System's Ethics and Compliance program. Is responsible to detect, observe, and report compliance variances to their immediate supervisor, the Compliance Officer, or the Hotline.
Required Knowledge & Skills
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Experience: One year of related experience. Requires a working knowledge of standard practices and procedures.
Licenses and Certifications
DRIVER'S LICENSE
ACLS CERTIFICATION
Qualifications
Board Certified Chaplain through a recognized organization preferred.
Ecclesiastical endorsement or ordination preferred.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to work with individuals of diverse backgrounds and belief systems.
Compassionate presence and active listening skills.
Ability to manage emotional and sensitive situations professionally.
Strong organizational and documentation skills.
Position Responsibilities
Contact with Others: Requires frequent contact with many persons at different levels inside and outside of the organization to carry out organization policies and programs and obtain willing acceptance, consent, or action.
Effect of Error: Probable error usually detected in succeeding operations and generally confined to a single department or phase of organization activities. Practically all work is subject to verification or check. Occasional work with some confidential data where the effect of any disclosure would be negligible or where the full import is not apparent in the routines performed.
People Management Responsibilities
Supervisory Responsibility: Exercises no supervision, work direction, or instruction of other employees or students
Work Environment/Physical Effort
Mental Demands: Assignment requires planning and arranging own work to reach definite objectives. Applies knowledge of a specific field using several varied procedures or techniques. Solves non-routine technical, treatment, or operational problems under general guides
Working Conditions: Noticeable - (About 25% of the day) Involved in exposure to dirt, odors, noise, or some work is performed with exposure to temperature/weather extremes/occupational risk and probability of coming into contact with blood borne pathogens, other potentially infectious diseases, or biomedical/bio-hazardous materials.
Working Conditions Aspects for Immunizations
Performs tasks involving contact with blood, blood-contaminated body fluids, other body fluids, or sharps (needles): Yes
Directly works with Patients less than 12 months of age: No
Physical Effort: Light physical effort - Much of work done while sitting but with more than normal standing or walking. Handles light materials intermittently. Office or laboratory work requiring more than normal visual effort.
Physical Aspects
Bending: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Typing: Frequent = 34% - 66% of the time
Manual Dexterity - picking, pinching with fingers etc.: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Feeling (Touch) - determining temperature, texture, by touching: Not required
Hearing: Constant = 67% - 100% of the time.
Reaching - above shoulder: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Reaching - below shoulder: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Visual: Constant = 67% - 100% of the time.
Color Vision: Not required
Speaking: Constant = 67% - 100% of the time.
Standing: Frequent = 34% - 66% of the time
Balancing: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Walking: Frequent = 34% - 66% of the time
Crawling: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Running - in response to an emergency: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Lifting up to 25 lbs.: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Lifting 25 to 60 lbs.: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Lifting over 60 lbs.: Not required
Handling - seizing, holding, grasping: Frequent = 34% - 66% of the time
Carrying: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Climbing: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Kneeling: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Squatting: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Tasting: Not required
Smelling: Not required
Driving - Utility vehicles such as golf carts, Gators, ATV, riding lawnmowers, skid steer, aerial lift: Not required
Driving - Class C vehicles: Frequent = 34% - 66% of the time
Driving - CDL class vehicles: Not required
N95 Respirator usage (PPE): Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Hazmat suit usage (PPE): Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Pushing/Pulling - up to 25 lbs.: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Pushing/Pulling - 25 to 60 lbs.: Occasional = 1% - 33% of the time
Pushing/Pulling - over 60 lbs. : Not required
