Overview
Provides direct spiritual care services and counseling to hospice patients and their family members in collaboration with the inter-disciplinary group (IDG). Ensures that the spiritual care assists with the patients' self-determined life closure/safe, comfortable, and meaningful dying experience and family's effective grieving, in compliance with hospice standards. Works under clinical supervision.
- Implements the Spiritual Care program in accordance with CMS Conditions of Participation.
- Assesses emotional spiritual, religious, existential status and care needs of patients and/or their family members utilizing professional skills and knowledge.
- Provides spiritual counseling and services, including crisis intervention, to meet the psycho-spiritual, religious and existential needs of patient/family in collaboration with the IDG in accordance with VNS Health policies/procedures, code of conduct and standards of practice for professional chaplains.
- Develops and updates the spiritual care component of the patient/family plan of care based on mutually acceptable goals.
- Utilizes appropriate spiritual/religious community resources and serves as a liaison between VNS Health and the community clergy directly involved with the patient/family.
- Documents spiritual care assessment, including signs of decline, interventions, and plans of care in EMR in collaboration with the IDG to ensure optimal quality care.
- Participates in the weekly IDG team meetings; develops and updates treatment plans and goals as needed. Coordinates effective approaches to develop patient and/or family care in collaboration with other team members.
- Acts as a resource to VNS Health staff for both clinical collaboration and/or interdisciplinary staff support.
- Assists interdisciplinary team members in understanding the significant psycho-spiritual, religious and existential factors related to the patient/family's quality of life and in developing support for patient/family with regard to spiritual care.
- Assumes responsibility for continued professional growth, including attendance of in-service programs.
- Provides on-call coverage as needed.
- Travels to patients' homes and/or facilities with varying environments (e.g. walk-ups, care facilities, single/multiple family homes, presence of pets, etc.) using approved transportation options to deliver direct spiritual care service to the patient/family.
- Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Licenses and Certifications:
Valid driver's license required, as determined by operational/regional needs.
Education:
Bachelor's Degree in Humanities or other related fields required
Master's Degree in Divinity or Theology preferred
Four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) required
Board Certified Chaplain preferred
Work Experience:
Minimum of one year of experience as a chaplain, preferably in a hospice setting required
Effective oral and interpersonal communication skills required
Proficiency in personal computer operations including MS Office applications required
Pay Range
USD $66,300.00 - USD $72,000.00 /Yr.
About Us
VNS Health has been committed to meeting the needs of New Yorkers for over 130 years. We're one of the largest nonprofit home- and community-based health care organizations in the country, and today, more than 11,500 team members work together to make a difference in the lives of more than 99,000 patients and members on any given day.