Certified Clinical Chaplain Float Pool

Catholic Health; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Catholic Health is seeking a Certified Clinical Chaplain in Buffalo, New York to provide spiritual care and crisis intervention to patients and families across various healthcare settings. The role includes conducting spiritual assessments, managing patient care, and participating in interdisciplinary team discussions.

Candidates must have a Master's degree in a relevant field and current chaplaincy certification. The position promotes collaboration and supportive services within diverse healthcare teams.

Qualifications

• Master's level theological degree required for the role.
• Current certification in chaplaincy is essential.
• Ecclesiastical endorsement is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Provide spiritual care and crisis intervention to patients and families.
• Consult with interdisciplinary teams on care plans.
• Conduct spiritual assessments and document patient encounters.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Conflict resolution skills

Crisis intervention skills

Education

Master's level theological or related degree

Current chaplaincy certification

Ecclesiastical Endorsements

Clinical Pastoral Education Credits (4 units)

Job description

Facility: Administrative Regional Training Cntr

Shift: Shift 1

Status: Full Time

FTE: 1.000000

Bargaining Unit: ACE Associates

Exempt from Overtime: Exempt: Yes

Work Schedule: Days

Hours: 9:00 a. to 2:00 p.m. in Clinical Chaplaincy Float Pool. 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at MHOB.

Summary

Certified Clinical Chaplains are trained to offer crisis intervention, grief counseling, spiritual care, and emotional and psychosocial support to patients, their families, and healthcare staff. They mediate between patients and medical teams, and help families understand complex medical information. By addressing the holistic needs of individuals, certified chaplains significantly contribute to the overall well‑being and healing process within healthcare environments. They address complex emotional, ethical, and existential needs and spiritual distress; and spirituality and religion, when adequately addressed, can help promote total health. They are fully integrated into health care teams that focus on dealing with these issues. They incorporate insights from psychology, religion, spirituality, and theology to address the diverse needs of those they serve.

Certified Clinical Chaplains are active members of an interdisciplinary team (IDT) contributing to patient assessments, plans, interventions, and goal setting. They serve as consultants to the primary clinical team, service lines, and other departments, participating in program development and quality improvement initiatives. They also serve as consultants to Pastoral Ministers and leads within the Clinical Chaplaincy department. They educate students, residents, nurses, fellows, and interns undergoing Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) about spiritual assessment and spiritual care, specifically regarding the care of patients receiving palliative care and their families. They take a lead role in ensuring quality care of patients and managing the patient population through Complex Care Committees, Schwartz Rounds, Ethics Committees, etc.

Certified Clinical Chaplains are an integral member of the Palliative Care Service. They are responsible for a wide range of services, including emotional and spiritual assessments, crisis intervention, consultation, education, community linkages, and supportive services for identified patients, families, and staff. They coordinate resources and services in response to individual patient and family spiritual and emotional needs, ensuring that they receive the necessary support and care during their most vulnerable moments. Primary areas of responsibility include units such as Intensive Care, Emergency, Palliative Care, Oncology, anti‑partum at risk and neo‑natal intensive care.

Certified Clinical Chaplains play a crucial role as facilitators in Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD). They provide emotional and psychological support to individuals affected by traumatic events, offering a calming and supportive presence. Through active listening and empathetic engagement, chaplains assist individuals in processing their emotions and reactions to the incident.

Certified Clinical Chaplains conduct age‑appropriate assessments, interventions, and data collection on patients' and families' spiritual and emotional care plans. The chaplain can work with any patient or family regardless of race, gender, religious affiliation, cultural beliefs/practices, lifestyle, disease process, or treatment plan. The Chaplains document on all patient encounters in the electronic medical record.

Responsibilities

As described above, the role includes crisis intervention, spiritual and emotional assessments, consultation, education, community linkages, and supportive services across multiple units including Intensive Care, Emergency, Palliative Care, Oncology, ante‑partum at risk and neo‑natal intensive care, among others.

Education

• Master's level theological, pastoral ministry/pastoral care/religious studies or related degree required
• Current certification by professional national certifying agency for chaplaincy required
• Ecclesiastical Endorsements
• Four (4) units of Clinical Pastoral Education Credits
• Palliative Care Certification obtained within two (2) years through a national certifying organization, such as: Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) - BCC-PCHAC, Spiritual Care Association (SCA) - APBCC-HPC, or California State University Shiley Institute for Palliative Care - Essentials of Palliative Care Chaplaincy or meeting internal advanced competency milestones. (Preferred)

Experience

• Ecclesiastical endorsement
• Must be in good standing to serve as a professional chaplain according to the code of ethics for spiritual care professionals and the standards of practice for professional chaplains. Should the chaplain characterize or hold themselves out to be a member of any religious clergy, he or she must be held as a member in good standing of same religious clergy or order at all times while employed at Catholic Health
• Ten (10) years of experience in health care recommended
• Twenty (20) Continuing Education Units (CEU) annually

Knowledge, Skill and Ability

• High level of interpersonal, facilitative and communication skills
• Advanced theological reflection skills
• Advanced conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills
• Knowledge of current research in Spiritual Care
• Knowledge of Medical Ethics and ability to facilitate ethical discernment process
• Commitment to Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services
• Integral member of Palliative Care Services
• Knowledge of full range of theologies and ecclesiologies
• Exhibits strong pastoral identity
• Strong emotional and spiritual maturity
• Ability to maintain professional and personal confidentiality and HIPAA regulations
• Flexibility in work hours, programs, and services
• Ability to work well as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Presentation and teaching skills
• Ability to lead and coordinate prayer services
• Train, educate, mentor and supervise students
• Provide group facilitation and critical incident stress management
• Knowledge of Advanced Directives policy and ability to facilitate discussion with patient/family
• Develop and implement Spiritual Care Plan for patient
• Advanced computer skills for charting, research, email and department programming
• Demonstrate crisis and bereavement competency (Required)
• EAP bridge: Explain offerings, normalize access, and complete warm handoffs with consent (Required)
• Telepractice: Skilled in virtual communication, documentation, confidentiality, and escalation protocols (Required)
• Ethics/Palliative support: Participate in consultations; support moral distress, goals‑of‑care conflict, and end‑of‑life decisions (Preferred)

Working Conditions

Environment

• Normal heat, light space, and safe working environment; typical of most office jobs
• Clinical areas of the health care facility