PURPOSE OF THIS POSITION
The Chaplain is directly responsible for providing spiritual care and emotional support to patients, families and staff as an outgrowth of the multidisciplinary care team. The Chaplain will also serve as a liaison between community clergy and pastoral care givers and Blanchard Valley Health System. This position is based in the acute care setting and works in collaboration with medical staff, allied health professionals, and administration.
JOB DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
Duty 1: Provide Spiritual Care and support for patients, families, and staff with primary coverage of Blanchard Valley Hospital and Bluffton Hospital, in inpatient and ambulatory settings. Share on-call coverage with other BVHS Chaplains for 24/7 availability to hospitals, hospice patients, and long-term care settings. This includes assisting in the regular weekday, weekend, and holiday rotation.
Duty 2: Assesses the emotional / spiritual needs of patients and families including psychological issues, adjustment to illness or disability, status of religious / spiritual coping, and provides support, comfort, and appropriate religious rituals to patients during times of illness and/or dying, and their families or other support structures
Duty 3: Participates as an active member of the inpatient interdisciplinary team, Palliative Care Team, and other related care resources for establishing care plans and facilitating transitions across the continuum of care. Collaborates with other clergy or faith traditions to meet the spiritual and psycho-social needs of patients. Facilitates interdisciplinary, patient, and/or family interventions related to significant ethical and legal decisions to manage patient care. Mediates conflicts related to patient care when requested.
Duty 4: Assures that patients’ rights to fair and equitable treatment, self-determination, individuality, privacy, property, and civil rights, including the right to make complaints, are well established and maintained.
Duty 5: Recommends and implements departmental policies & procedures. Delegates appropriate authority and responsibility.
Duty 6: Keeps abreast of federal, state, and local rules and regulations concerning Spiritual Care practice and provision of services. Modifies department’s operations accordingly.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum two years of experience in pastoral ministry/chaplaincy.
- Ordained or endorsed Minister by a major faith group.
- Respect for and theological awareness of a wide range of beliefs, including Christian traditions, various World Religions, and understanding of people who claim no faith.
- Positive service-oriented interpersonal and communication skills required
- Individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patient served on his/her assigned unit/department. The individual must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient status. Must be able to interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient’s requirements relative to their age-specific needs and to provide the care needed as described in the area’s policies and procedure.
- A valid driver's license is required (if you do not have a valid Ohio driver’s license you must obtain one within 30 days of your residency in the state) and meet BVHS's company fleet policy requirements.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master of Divinity OR Theology, from an accredited school.
- A minimum one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).
- Hospital-based chaplaincy experience.
- Palliative Care certification, Conflict Resolution/Mediation, or CISM training.
- Three references from sources with firsthand knowledge of your vocational performance in direct pastoral care and/or healthcare chaplaincy.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This position requires direct contact with patients with communicable diseases. This position requires a full range of body motion with intermittent walking, lifting, bending, squatting, kneeling, twisting and standing. The associate will be required to walk for up to one hour a day, sit continuously for six hours a day and stand for one hour a day. The individual must have good eye-hand coordination and fine finger dexterity for simple grasping tasks. The individual must have excellent verbal communication skills to perform daily tasks. The associate must have corrected vision and hearing in the normal range. The individual must be able to operate a motor vehicle for business travel and community involvement.
This position is classified at risk for possible occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens (HBV, HIV, etc.)
