ASSOC CHAPLAIN-HC

Covenant Health; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Covenant Health HomeCare and Hospice is seeking an Associate Chaplain to provide and coordinate pastoral care, spiritual counseling, and bereavement support for hospice and home health patients and families. The Chaplain reports to the Manager of Volunteer and Bereavement Services.

The role involves spiritual assessments, planning, services, documentation, interprofessional collaboration, and bereavement coordination for up to 13 months after a patients death. Travel locally is required.

Qualifications

• One (1) year counseling experience with a focus on spirituality is required.
• Employee must possess a valid Tennessee drivers license Class D and state-mandated minimum insurance coverage.
• Driving record must meet Covenant Health minimum standards on the date of hire and throughout employment.

Responsibilities

• Spiritual assessment of the patient/family and spiritual support within 5 days of admission.
• Develops an individual spiritual care plan in collaboration with local clergy and family.
• Conduct religious services of prayer, worship, and rituals for patients/families as appropriate.
• Offer patients/families of different beliefs opportunities to discuss their thoughts, beliefs, and values.
• Document counseling in the patients clinical record within 24 hours.
• Work with other professionals to resolve spiritual/pastoral/ethical issues.
• Participate in an interdisciplinary care team to evaluate patient/family response to care.
• Attend interdisciplinary team conferences when care plans are reviewed.
• Be available to meet with staff regarding personal spiritual issues, as requested.
• Be available to family during the bereavement period.
• Assist in developing and updating plan of care.
• Be available to staff for bereavement support.
• Participate in developing processes to meet additional staff counseling needs.
• Participate in developing outcome indicators for services provided.
• Coordinate requests for local denominational clergy for patients/families without clergy.
• Assist families with funeral arrangements as appropriate.
• Designated as Bereavement Coordinator for bereavement services for up to 13 months after death.
• Complete and submit clinical documentation per company policy.
• Maintain a safe environment and report safety/mistreatment concerns.
• Travel locally as required.
• Follow policies, procedures, and safety standards; complete required education; work toward quality goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Spiritual care

Bereavement support

Counseling

Team collaboration

Documentation

Travel locally

Education

Bachelors degree in related field

Job description

Overview

Associate Chaplain, Homecare

Full Time, 80 Hours Per Pay Period, Day Shift

Homecare and Hospice Overview:

Covenant Health HomeCare and Hospice is the area’s largest locally owned home health and hospice provider in East Tennessee.

Position Summary:

The Chaplain provides and coordinates pastoral care and/or spiritual counseling as well as bereavement support to hospice and home health patients/families based on their spiritual beliefs. The Chaplain reports to the Manager of Volunteer and Bereavement Services.

Responsibilities

• Spiritual assessment of the patient/family and spiritual support is provided with on‑going wishes and needs of the patient/family (assessment to be completed within 5 days of admission).
• Develops an individual spiritual care plan which demonstrates an effort to work in close collaboration with local clergy whenever possible, and provide spiritual support as needed and defined by the patient/family’s significant other.
• Conduct religious services of prayer, worship, and rituals for patients/families as appropriate.
• Offer patients/families of different philosophies and religious perspectives opportunities to discuss and share their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and values.
• Document counseling provided in the patient's clinical record that demonstrates progress toward unresolved spiritual issues on appropriate forms within 24 hours.
• Work with other professionals in resolving spiritual/pastoral/ethical issues.
• Work in a team approach with the interdisciplinary care team to evaluate patient/family response to care.
• Attend interdisciplinary team conferences when care plan is reviewed.
• Be available to meet with individual staff regarding personal spiritual issues that may affect their ability to function effectively, upon request.
• Be available to family during the bereavement period.
• Assist in developing and updating plan of care.
• Be available to staff for bereavement support.
• Participate in development of process to meet additional staff counseling needs.
• Participate in development of outcome indicators for services provided.
• Coordinate requests for local denominational clergy by patients/families that have no clergy.
• Assist families with funeral arrangements as appropriate.
• Designated as Bereavement Coordinator for the provision of home care and hospice’s organized program of bereavement services. These services should reflect family needs, services to be provided, and the frequency of services for up to 13 months following the death of a patient.
• Complete and submit clinical documentation in accordance with company policy.
• Assist in maintaining a safe environment for all residents which may include reporting to appropriate managerial staff equipment that is out of order, suspicion of resident abuse, mistreatment, neglect and reporting of criminal activities.
• Travel locally as required.
• Follow policies, procedures, and safety standards. Complete required education assignments annually. Work toward achieving goals and objectives, and participate in quality improvement initiatives as requested.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Education:

No formal minimum is specified; any combination of formal education and/or prior work experience that demonstrates the possession of the knowledge, skill, and ability required to perform the essential tasks of the job is acceptable. Preference may be given to candidates possessing a Bachelor’s degree in a directly‑related field from an accredited college or university.

Minimum Experience:

One (1) year counseling experience with a focus on spirituality is required.

Licensure Requirement:

Employee must possess a valid Tennessee driver’s license Class D and state‑mandated minimum insurance coverage. Driving record must meet Covenant Health minimum standards on the date of hire and throughout employment.