Location: Elmira,NY, USA
MAIN FUNCTION:
The Staff Chaplain provides compassionate spiritual care support for patients, families and staff throughout Arnot Health's diverse, multifaith healthcare environment. This interfaith chaplain position helps patients and their loved ones draw upon their spiritual resources and strengths as an important element in the healing process, and supports families as they make difficult care decisions and cope with loss. The role also serves as a resource to colleagues by helping members of the clinical care team address the spiritual needs of patients, and by providing spiritual and emotional support as staff members experience and deal with crisis and loss. The Staff Chaplain reports to the System Director of Spiritual Care.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Address the spiritual/religious, emotional and existential needs of patients and families by developing and utilizing spiritual assessments, appropriate interventions and plans of care to support the patient's overall wellbeing. Chart relevant information in the patient's medical record for useful reference by other chaplains and the entire care team.
2. Provide sensitive spiritual/emotional support for patients at end of life, and for their loved ones and staff. Provide spiritual care support during medical emergencies and traumas, accompanying family members as needed. As appropriate, offer blessings/prayer, rituals, bedside liturgy and other forms of support. Serve as a caring resource related to grief and bereavement.
3. Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to provide effective holistic care. Help multidisciplinary team members identify signs of patient/family spiritual or emotional distress and make appropriate referrals. Serve as a resource to help the clinical team increase their understanding of end-of-life spiritual needs, including multi-faith spiritual and religious practices related to illness, dying and death.
4. Serve as a spiritual care resource for the palliative care team. As appropriate, participate in family meetings and other discussions regarding goals of care. Support families as they make difficult care decisions and cope with loss.
5. Offer spiritual and emotional support for multidisciplinary staff colleagues as they deal with crisis, stress and loss.
6. Support the needs of skilled nursing residents. As appropriate, facilitate or lead ecumenical gatherings and worship for the residential community.
7. Facilitate awareness and increased visibility of chaplaincy and the Spiritual Care organization within Arnot Health. Help ensure that spiritual/religious resources appropriate for patients, families and staff are readily available throughout the hospitals.
* Participate at events in the community where Spiritual Care service or representation is requested. This may include: planning and officiating memorial services and funerals; offering invocations/benedictions/blessings at graduation or commencement ceremonies; contributing to community-building efforts and initiatives related to spiritual care.
EDUCATION:
* Graduate degree required in divinity, theology, spiritual/pastoral care, counseling, biomedical ethics or other fields relevant to clinical chaplaincy and spiritual care.
* Completion of two units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) through an ACPE-accredited program required; completion of three or more units of CPE preferred.
EXPERIENCE:
One year healthcare chaplain experience required. Two or more years acute care chaplain experience preferred.
CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR) REQUIREMENTS:
No CPR required.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
This position requires frequent standing and walking. Ability to occasionally lift 15 pounds (worship service supplies, books, paper).
EXPOSURE CATEGORY:
Category I. Tasks that may involve exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues.
A.D.A. Essential Functions
#LI-MS1