Chaplain

St Johns Regional Medical Center; Oxnard (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Dignity Health - St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, CA seeks a Chaplain to provide spiritual care to patients, families, and staff within a busy hospital setting.

You will collaborate with the medical team to offer pastoral counseling and lead rituals during crises, ensuring culturally respectful care across diverse beliefs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Divinity/Theology or related field.
• Master’s degree in Divinity/Theology, Mission Integration, Ministry, Spiritual Care, Pastoral Counseling or Bioethics.
• Equivalent evidence of study in a relevant field.
• 4 units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) from an ACPE-accredited site.
• Catholic Chaplain within 24 months or APC within 24 months or equivalent.
• Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) within 24 months

Responsibilities

• Provides pastoral support and counseling to patients, families and staff.
• Assesses pastoral needs and refers for sacramental ministry.
• Provides prayer and worship opportunities for hospital communities.
• Responds to referrals and documents in medical/departmental records.
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to provide total patient care.
• Provides pastoral intervention during Code Blue/Code Pink/Code Yellow and crises.

Skills

Pastoral care

Empathetic communication

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Crisis communication

Education

Bachelor’s in Divinity/Theology or related field

Master’s in Theology/Spiritual Care

Equivalent evidence of study

Job description

Job Summary and Responsibilities

As our Chaplain, you will serve as a vital spiritual leader and compassionate caregiver within our hospital community, providing essential spiritual counseling and support to patients, families, and staff. Every day, you will provide direct spiritual, religious, and existential care, offering compassionate presence, support, and appropriate rituals to patients, families, and staff, especially during times of crisis or grief. You will collaborate with the healthcare team to advocate for spiritual needs and integrate holistic care, ensuring respect for diverse beliefs. To be successful in this role, you must be a highly compassionate individual, comfortable and skilled in engaging with people who may be emotional, panicked, stressed, or in pain. You will need the proven ability to provide empathetic care, adapt to diverse spiritual needs, and communicate effectively within a multidisciplinary team.

• Provides pastoral support and counseling to patients/residents, families, personnel and medical staff, taking special note of patients newly admitted, critically ill, dying and those preparing for surgery. Measurements: Observation, Feedback.
• Assesses pastoral / sacramental needs of patients, families and personnel and provides follow-up as needed. Makes referrals for sacramental ministry of Catholic patients for Catholic chaplains or Eucharistic ministers. Measurements: Observation, Feedback.
• Provides prayer and worship opportunities for patients, hospital personnel, medical staff and local church and civic community. Measurements: Observation.
• Responds in an appropriate and timely manner to all referrals for chaplain services and provides documentation in both the patient's medical record and departmental records, including assessment, intervention, pastoral plan and evaluation. Measurements: Observation, Documentation, Feedback.
• Collaborates with members of the interdisciplinary team and medical staff to provide total patient care. Participates in patient care conferences on assigned clinical units as well as other interdisciplinary hospital meetings. Measurements: Observation, Minutes of Minutes, Patient Care Documentation.
• Provides effective pastoral intervention during Code Blue/Code Pink/Code Yellow and other patient crisis. Acts as liaison between family, hospital personnel and medical staff. Measurements: Observation, Feedback, Patient Care Documentation.

Job Requirements

Required

• Bachelors in a relevant field (e.g. Divinity, Theology, Mission Integration, Ministry, Spiritual Care, Pastoral Counseling, Bioethics), upon hire
• Masters in a relevant field (e.g. Divinity, Theology, Mission Integration, Ministry, Spiritual Care, Pastoral Counseling, Bioethics), upon hire
• Equivalent evidence of study in a relevant field (e.g. Divinity, Theology, Mission Integration, Ministry, Spiritual Care, Pastoral Counseling, Bioethics), upon hire
• Experience working in a clinical setting, addressing pastoral, spiritual and ethical issues, as evidenced by 4 units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) from an ACPE-accredited site
• Catholic Chaplain, within 24 months or
• Board Certified Chaplain APC, within 24 months or
• Certified Supervisor of Clinical Pastoral Education, within 24 months or
• Board Certified Chaplain BCC, within 24 months

Preferred

• Other Advanced Degree in any of the following: Divinity, Theology, Mission Integration, Ministry, Spiritual Care, Pastoral Counseling, Bioethics. Two or more years of Clinical Experience providing Spiritual/Pastoral Care or Counseling in a clinical setting, upon hire

Where You'll Work

Founded in 1912, Dignity Health - St. John’s Regional Medical Center is a 265-bed, acute care, nonprofit hospital located in Oxnard, California. Serving over 85,000 patients annually, the hospital offers a full complement of services including emergency, heart, orthopedic, and cancer care. Additionally, St. John’s Regional Medical Center has been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. It is a Joint Commission-certified Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center and was named one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades in 2026.

One Community. One Mission. One California