Chaplain I, Palliative Care

In addition to the responsibilities listed below, this role is also responsible for identifying patients for whom palliative care is appropriate; providing debriefs and explanations of diagnoses and prognoses to patients, their families and loved ones, and staff; collaborating with a patient care team to plan for and discuss existential implications of goals of care; regularly engaging with the interdisciplinary team and seeking opportunities to educate them on the role of a chaplain within the team; identifying areas of improvement for palliative care-focused quality improvement projects and implementing changes; leading collaborations with the interdisciplinary care team to integrate spiritual screenings, patient histories, and assessments into scope of practice; and researching and developing self-care activities for the interdisciplinary team.

• Promotes learning in others by proactively providing and/or developing information, resources, advice, and expertise with coworkers and members; builds relationships with cross-functional/external stakeholders and customers. Listens to, seeks, and addresses performance feedback; proactively provides actionable feedback to others and to managers. Pursues self-development; creates and executes plans to capitalize on strengths and develop weaknesses; leads by influencing others through technical explanations and examples and provides options and recommendations. Adopts new responsibilities; adapts to and learns from change, challenges, and feedback; demonstrates flexibility in approaches to work; champions change and helps others adapt to new tasks and processes. Facilitates team collaboration to support a business outcome.


• Completes work assignments autonomously and supports business-specific projects by applying expertise in subject area and business knowledge to generate creative solutions; encourages team members to adapt to and follow all procedures and policies. Collaborates cross-functionally and/or externally to achieve effective business decisions; provides recommendations and solves complex problems; escalates high-priority issues or risks, as appropriate; monitors progress and results. Supports the development of work plans to meet business priorities and deadlines; identifies resources to accomplish priorities and deadlines. Identifies, speaks up, and capitalizes on improvement opportunities across teams; uses influence to guide others and engages stakeholders to achieve appropriate solutions.


• Contributes to collaborative efforts in spiritual care by: recognizing the need for an interdisciplinary team, consult services, and departments and collaborating across the continuum of care; and collaborating with relevant external spiritual care programs (e.g., Interfaith Councils, Music Ministry, CPE Centers), diverse spiritual leaders, and community partners to provide resources and/or care to patients, their families and loved ones, and staff.


• Provides patient, loved ones, and staff counseling services by: applying diverse spiritual care assessment models to evaluate spiritual needs, issues, and concerns and recommend appropriate spiritual counseling services and/or care interventions; leveraging crisis intervention methods and techniques to help patients, loved ones, and staff experiencing a crisis event or emotional, spiritual, and/or existential distress; helping to triage existential and spiritual counseling and creating appropriate care plans while demonstrating sensitivity, respect, and compassion; providing during and after end-of-life support and counseling to patients, loved ones, and staff, including grief counseling and support group services; and documenting spiritual assessments and interventions in the patient care record and following established charting methodologies in accordance with policies and procedures.


• Provides spiritual care by: role modeling cultural sensitivity (e.g., acknowledging diverse belief systems, race, gender, sexual orientation) when interacting with patients, their families and loved ones, and team members; identifying and/or tending to spiritual or religious needs including providing supportive counseling, services, and/or events throughout the year (e.g., Ash Wednesday, Ramadan) for individuals of diverse faiths, backgrounds, religious needs, cultural rituals, and practices; providing spiritual resources to patients, loved ones, and staff (e.g., phone support, home visitations, self-care strategies, literature, memorial services, spiritual practices, and alternative care); and evaluating the quality and satisfaction of spiritual care services, including patient survey responses to ensure patients, loved ones, and staff receive the appropriate spiritual support, comfort, nurturing of well-being, resources, and guidance needed.