Chaplain - Critical Care - Spiritual Services

Essential Job Statements

Performance Expectation: Pastoral Care Services

Demonstrates the ability to provide comprehensive pastoral care services to the patients, families and staff of VCUHS. Demonstrates skill in spiritual assessment of patients and families and the ability to address the needs of those with complex spiritual issues related to end of life, chronic disease stress and traumatic injury and illness. Demonstrates capability to plan and perform rituals such as memorial services as needed. Demonstrates ability to work with other team members in the development of bereavement support services for families and other support services for patients and families.

Performance Expectation: Training/Mentoring & Resource Development

Demonstrates ability to develop resources in spiritual care for use with other health care professionals at VCUHS. Demonstrates ability to provide professional mentoring and support to Patient Counseling students and other VCU or VCUHS students as called upon.

Performance Expectation: Staff Education & Development

Demonstrates the ability to provide support and education for staff that care for patients with complex spiritual/emotional issues. Demonstrates the ability to assist staff in the development of increased cultural competence working with a diverse patient population who espouse varied beliefs found in the inner city.

Performance Expectation: Research/Grant Writing (depends on area or unit assignment)

Demonstrates willingness to participate in the development of research ideas in coordination with VCUHS staff and faculty in the Department of Patient Counseling.

Performance Expectation: Continuing Education

Completes all required in-service and compliance training for VCUHS. Participates in ongoing professional pastoral care continuing education as appropriate.

Performance Expectation: Accountabilities

Maintains professional and ethical standards. Demonstrates fiscal responsibility and accountability in use of VCUHS resources.

Performance Expectation: Miscellaneous Responsibilities

Performs other duties as assigned and participates in special projects to promote the mission of VCUHS and the Department of Pastoral Care. Provides assistance to team members. Accepts alternative assignments, as required, graciously.

Employment Qualifications

Required Education: Master's Degree (72 hours) in Theology or equivalent (as determined by the Association of Professional Chaplains or Spiritual Care Association) from an accredited institution recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Completion of four units of clinical pastoral education as certified by one of the following: Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE); National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC); Neshama; Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC); Spiritual Care Associations (SCA) or The Canadian Association for Spiritual Care/Association Canadienne des Soins Spirituels (CASC/ACSS).

Preferred Education: Four (4) units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) through the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) at an academic medication center.

Licensing/ Certification

Licensure/Certification Required: Board Certified, Provisionally Board Certified or Board Eligible Chaplain by one of the following: Association of Professional Chaplains (APC); National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC); Neshama; Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC); or Spiritual Care Association (SCA). The Canadian Association for Spiritual Care/Association Canadienne des Soins Spirituels (CASC/ACSS).

Licensure, Certification, or Registration Requirements for continued employment: If not Board Certified upon hire, achieve full or provisional Board Certification within 24 months of hire.
Once board certification is achieved, it must be maintained for continued employment.
Board Certification by any of the following organizations is acceptable: APC, NACC, Neshama, NAJC, SCA, CASC/ACSS

Minimum Qualifications
Years and Type of Required Experience: One (1) full-time year of post-Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) chaplaincy experience, which may include second year residency.

Four (4) units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) through the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE).

Preferred: One (1) - five (5) full-time year(s) of post-Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) chaplaincy experience, which may include second year residency. Experience as a chaplain in an academic medical center and Level 1 Trauma Center

Independent action(s) required:
Provides reactive (responding to requests) and proactive evidenced-based spiritual care to patients, patient loved ones, and members of the care team.
Provides grief and bereavement care to patients, patient loved ones, and to members of the care team.
Educates people on religion, spirituality, and cultural values.

Provides people with religious or spiritual resources.

Work collaboratively with interdisciplinary team to integrate spiritual care into the overall care plan for patients.

Maintain accurate and timely records of spiritual care interventions in patient medical charts as required by hospital policy.

Assist patients, families, and members of the care team in exploring ethical and spiritual questions related to medical care and decision-making.

Participate in department duty rotation to provide spiritual care services during day, evening, weekend, and holiday shifts.

Complete a minimum of 50 continuing education and professional development hours (yearly) to enhance chaplaincy skills and knowledge.

Consults with department colleagues on complex patient care situations as needed.
May participate in quality improvement projects and/or research including grant writing.

Supervisory responsibilities (if applicable): N/A

Additional position requirements:
Days, evenings, nights weekend and/or holiday shifts. Shifts worked depend on specific job assignment.

Age Specific groups served: All

Physical Requirements (includes use of assistance devices as appropriate):
Physical: Lifting less than 20 lbs.
Activities: Prolonged standing, Prolonged sitting, Walking (distance), Climbing (steps, ladder, other), Reaching (overhead, extensive, repetitive)
Mental/Sensory: Strong recall, Reasoning, Problem solving, Hearing, Speak clearly, Write legibly, Reading, Logical thinking
Emotional: Fast pace environment, Steady pace, Able to handle multiple priorities, Frequent and intense customer interactions, Noisy environment, Able to adapt to frequent change

Description

The chaplain provides comprehensive and evidenced-based spiritual care services to patients, families, providers and staff at Virginia Commonwealth University Health (VCUH). This includes partnering with members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, spiritual care department members and faculty in the College of Health Professions Patient Counseling Department. The chaplain is required to conduct spiritual care assessment, develop a spiritual care intervention plan to address the assessment and document all spiritual care encounters. Additionally, the chaplain promotes patient safety by reporting issues through established channels and participating in safety initiatives.

The chaplain participates in the life and work of spiritual care at VCUH. The chaplain will offer proactive and reactive spiritual care interventions which may include grief and bereavement support, advance care planning, rituals, staff rounds, staff support sessions, and partnering with the local Organ Procurement Organization (OPO). The chaplain will participate in goals of care meetings, interdisciplinary team activities and development, staff and patient directed support groups, orienting new team members; participate in grand rounds, team meetings, identify and address ethical dilemmas in assigned areas, and partner with community faith leaders through referrals, consultation and education; collaborate with the CPE program by precepting and/or orienting students as assigned and providing feedback to the ACPE Educator and/or Director of Education (DOE) regarding student educational needs.

The chaplain will primarily work day shift Monday - Friday (0730 - 1600) in the area of critical care (emergency department and intensive care units). They also participate in the overall site (duty) coverage rotation, including holidays and may be required to adjust their schedule to work evenings, nights and/or weekend shifts. They will be part of the Spiritual Care Administrator (SCA) rotation. The SCA serves as the administrator on call for the department. The chaplain will participate in department meetings, serve on committees, and adhere to all training requirements for employment. The chaplain will also support and adhere to the vision, mission and values of VCU Health which includes all organization and department policies.

Licensure, Certification, or Registration Requirements for Hire:
Board Certified, Provisionally Board Certified or Board Eligible Chaplain by one of the following:
Association of Professional Chaplains (APC);
National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC);
Neshama; Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC);

Spiritual Care Association (SCA);

National Association of Certified Military Chaplains (NACMC); or
The Canadian Association for Spiritual Care/Association Canadienne des Soins Spirituels (CASC/ACSS).

Licensure, Certification, or Registration Requirements for continued employment:
If not Board Certified upon hire, must achieve full Board Certification within 24 months of hire.
Once board certification is achieved, it must be maintained for continued employment.
Board Certification by any of the following organizations is acceptable: APC, NACC, NAJC, SCA, NACMC, or CASC/ACSS

Experience REQUIRED:
One (1) full-time year post-Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) chaplaincy experience, which may include second year residency or

Completion of a full-time residency at an academic medical/Level-1 trauma center within the past two years.

Experience PREFERRED:
2 - 4 years of experience as a chaplain in an academic medical center and Level 1 Trauma Center.

2 - 4 years of clinical preceptor experience (training students in the clinical environment).

2+ years of experience offering spiritual care in a critical care environment (level-1 trauma ED, Intensive Care Units).

1+ years of experience conducting research in a healthcare or academic setting.

Education/training REQUIRED:
Master's Degree (60 hours) in theology, psychology, sociology or health sciences or equivalent from an accredited institution recognized by an accreditation organization such as CHEA or SACSCOC.
Completion of four (4) units of CPE as certified by one of the following: Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) or Clinical Pastoral Education International (CPEI).

Education/training PREFERRED: N/A
Independent action(s) required:
Providing all spiritual/religious care and services outlined in the job description

Supervisory responsibilities (if applicable): N/A
Additional position requirements:
Other duties as assigned.

Age Specific groups served: All

Physical Requirements (includes use of assistance devices as appropriate):
Physical Lifting less than 20 lbs.

Activities:

Prolonged standing, Prolonged sitting, Walking (distance), Climbing (steps, ladder, other), Reaching (overhead, extensive, repetitive)

Mental/Sensory: Strong recall, reasoning, problem solving, hearing, write legibly, reading, logical thinking, and clear communication.

Emotional: Fast pace environment, steady pace, able to handle multiple priorities, frequent and intense customer interactions, noisy environment, able to adapt to frequent change.

EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran/41 CFR 60-1.4.