Chaplain Resident

VCUHSA VCU Health System Authority; United States; On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Affordable healthcare insurance

Job summary

VCU Health is seeking a Chaplain Resident to deliver comprehensive spiritual care within a high‑acuity urban hospital. You will rotate through diverse clinical settings while pursuing your MS in Patient Counseling at VCU, with mentorship from national and regional leaders in chaplaincy.

The program emphasizes clinical ethics, research literacy, and board preparation, offering hands‑on CPE and leadership training. Expect a demanding, rewarding environment at a Level I trauma center.

Qualifications

• Acceptance into the Master of Science in Patient Counseling program.

Responsibilities

• Provide spiritual care for patients, families, and staff with available resources.
• Document interventions in patient records and participate in ethics discussions.
• Offer bereavement support and spiritual guidance to relatives during critical times.
• Participate in multidisciplinary teams to integrate spiritual care in care plans.
• Engage in quality improvement efforts related to spiritual care delivery.
• Pursue personal and professional development under faculty mentorship.

Skills

Spiritual care

Team collaboration

Documentation

Bereavement support

Education

MS in Patient Counseling

Tools

Clinical Pastoral Education

Job description

As a Chaplain Resident you will embark on a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip you for success in both clinical practice and academic achievement: Through our program, you will complete three units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) while concurrently pursuing your Master of Science in Patient Counseling at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Our innovative curriculum goes beyond traditional CPE content, offering semester-long courses in clinical ethics, chaplaincy research literacy, spiritual care leadership, and preparation for chaplain board certification. At VCU Health, you'll have the opportunity to gain hands‑on experience at an urban level‑one trauma center, where you'll rotate through diverse clinical settings including the emergency department, surgery, medicine, cardiology, pediatrics, women's health, psychiatry, corrections (prison ministry), palliative care, and organ donation protocols. Guided by our esteemed faculty, who are national and regional leaders in specialized ministry, you'll receive mentorship and instruction grounded in their wealth of publications, research grants, presentations, and elected offices.

Responsibilities

• providing spiritual care and support for patients, families, and staff, offering spiritual and religious resources, and assistance to the dying and their loved ones, documenting interventions in patient records, facilitating bereavement services, attending to spiritual and religious needs, participating in multidisciplinary teams, engaging in ethical consultations and education, contributing to continuous quality improvement efforts, and fostering your own personal and professional development.
• Offers spiritual care and support for patients, families, and staff.
• Offers spiritual and religious resources, and assistance to the dying and their loved ones.
• Documents interventions in patient records.
• Facilitates bereavement services.
• Attends to spiritual and religious needs.
• Participates in multidisciplinary teams.
• Engages in ethical consultations and education.
• Contributes to continuous quality improvement efforts.
• Fosters own personal and professional development.
• Adheres to all VCU Health System and Department of Spiritual Care policies and procedures.

Patient Population

• Neonates (0-4 weeks)
• Infant (1-12 months)
• Pediatrics (1-12 years)
• Adolescents (13-17 years)
• Adults (18-64 years)
• Geriatrics (65 years and older)

Employment Qualifications Education Required

Acceptance into the Master of Science in Patient Counseling program

Working Conditions

Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur. May be exposed to physical altercations and verbal abuse. May be exposed to adverse weather conditions; cold, hot, dust, wind, etc. Required to car travel to off-site locations, occasionally in adverse weather conditions. May be exposed to high noise levels and bright lights. May be exposed to limited hazardous substances or body fluids. May be exposed to human blood and other potentially infectious materials. May have periods of constant interruptions. Individuals in this position are required to exercise universal precautions, use personal protective equipment and devices, and learn the policies concerning infection control.

Physical Requirements

• Lifting/ Carrying (0-50 lbs.)
• Push/ Pull (0-50 lbs.)
• Climbing
• Work Position: Sitting, Walking, Standing
• Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination)
• Perform shift work
• Hear alarms/telephone/tape recorder
• Reach above shoulder
• Repetitive arm/hand movements
• Finger Dexterity
• Use of Latex Gloves
• Exposure to dust/fumes
• Strong Recall, Reasoning, Problem Solving, Hearing, Speak Clearly, Write Legibly, Reading, Logical Thinking
• Fast pace environment, Steady Pace, Able to Handle Multiple Priorities, Frequent and Intense Customer Interactions, Noisy Environment, Able to Adapt to Frequent Change

Compensation

• Compensation Range $0.00 - $500,000.00
• Actual salary offers will be based on several key factors to include relevant work experience, credentials, and qualifications.

Benefits

• paid time off
• affordable healthcare insurance

EEO Statement

EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran

We Are Inventing better care, day by day by discovery Sound outrageous? It absolutely is. Sound impossible? That’s never stopped us before. Sound like hard work, intense research, collaboration with experts around the world, sheer brainpower meets unrelenting willpower? That’s. Exactly. Right. We’ll do whatever it takes to offer the best in care and empower the best in quality of life. And it’s an approach that works — whether it’s a patient who undergoes a new, life‑saving procedure or a clinical researcher who finds promise in a new cancer treatment, exciting new medicine is happening at VCU Health. We have it all: One college and four health sciences schools An academic medical center A Level I trauma center One of only two NCI-designated cancer centers in Virginia The region’s only full-service children’s hospital More than 800 physicians in 200 specialties With a community health center, dedicated research teams, facilities and valued partners in every field Our medical teams are top notch. And we’re not too shy to boast of internationally known physicians, some recognized as the best in the country, top-ranked local specialists and all‑around all-stars at every level. From our very first years to our most recent advancements, we are driven to learn more, dig deeper, teach passionately and never rest in order to be a true leader in discovering what’s possible in health and recovery. We are a comprehensive system of care and a pioneer of health. Read VCU Health Year In Review for more about our accomplishments.