Hospital Chaplain

Hillsboro Medical Center; Hillsboro (OR); On-site; USD 45,832 - 65,518; Full time

Job summary

Hillsboro Medical Center seeks a Chaplain to provide spiritual care to patients, families and staff. The role focuses on pre-surgery, end‑of‑life, emergencies (CODE Blue) and acute care settings, offering calming support and collaboration with medical teams.

The Chaplain will conduct spiritual assessments, document visits in EPIC EMR, and participate in rounds and ethics committees. Requires board credentials and CPE; patient-centered care and cultural sensitivity are essential.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Divinity or theology or related field; within 2 years of hire.
• Minimum one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).
• Experience in clinical pastoral care preferred.

Responsibilities

• Conduct spiritual assessment and plan of care; provide interventions and referrals.
• Document spiritual care visits in EPIC EMR.
• Maintain a safe environment and respond to urgent needs.
• Take on-call duty and respond to call-backs timely.
• Attend rounds and collaborate with hospital staff to address spiritual needs.
• Support families during death, organ donation, and funeral coordination.
• Collaborate with local clergy for patient visitation; participate in committees.

Skills

Empathy

Listening skills

Cross-cultural communication

Team collaboration

Ethical/professional conduct

Education

Master’s Degree of Divinity/Theology

1 unit of CPE

Tools

EPIC EMR

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

Pay range: $33.27/hr - $47.56/hr

The Chaplain provides spiritual care services to patients, families and staff. This role places priority on patient care to all patients includes pre-surgery, end of life care, urgent situations including but not limited to medical emergencies (CODE Blue) or deaths, traumatic situations in the ED and birth center. Provides calming support to distraught family members and friends. Works with hospital staff to enhance their sensitivity to the spiritual concerns of patients and families. Provides general emotional and spiritual support and hospitality to patients/families and friends.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conducts spiritual assessment, develops plan of care and provides appropriate interventions and referrals as needed.
• Documents patient, family/significant other spiritual care visits in EPIC the electronic medical record (EMR) as appropriate.
• Maintains a safe environment for patients, visitors and staff; reports potential safety hazards.
• Takes on-call duty as scheduled and responds to call-backs in a timely manner.
• Rounds patient care areas to communicate availability and identify potential patient needs.
• Responds to “Chaplain Consult” orders and reviews inpatient census to determine the Spiritual Care (SC) needs of patients.
• Attends interdisciplinary rounds/case management, ICU rounds, Behavior Health rounds as assigned to prioritize patient needs, visits.
• Collaborates and consults with other clinical staff (RNs, RN managers, hospitalist) to provide SC to patients and families.
• Responds to patient deaths offering support and guidance to family and staff, offer of comfort quilts, aiding with funeral home selection, organ donations etc.
• Collaborates with and assists local clergy with patient visitation.
• Participates on committees and projects such as CISM team, Employees Helping Employees EHE, Ethics as assigned.

Performed occasionally but critical to successful performance of the job

• Attends continuing education programs.
• Other duties as assigned by the Spiritual Care Manager.

Decision making and budget responsibilities (e.g. impact limited to the employee, entire unit or organization-wide):

• Impact limited to the employee.

Assigned direct reports (not limited to the ones listed). If not applicable, please enter N/A:

• N/A

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Education:

• Master’s Degree of Divinity, Theology; or related master level degree or to be completed within 2 years of hire.
• Minimum of one (1) unit of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education).

Preferred

• Master’s Degree of Divinity, Theology at hire.
• Two (2) or more units of CPE.

Experience:

• Clinical background in counseling, psychology, theology or combination.
• Prior hospital or hospice experience.

Preferred

• N/A

Required

• Professional chaplain association membership required at hire with at least one of the associations listed below:
• Association of Professional Chaplains (APC),
• College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP),
• National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC),
• National Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC),
• Spiritual Care Association (SCA).
• Certification/credential as a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) with one of the associations listed above within 2 (two) years of hire.

Preferred

• Certification/credential as a Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) with one of the associations listed above at hire.

Required

• Job Related Skills, Abilities and Behaviors:
• Demonstrates understanding and compassion.
• Uses excellent listening skills.
• Ability to communicate respectfully across cultures and with persons of different faiths or no faith affiliation.
• Demonstrates effective communication skills – writing and speaking.
• Utilizes problem-solving and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrates high standard of ethical behavior, professionalism and confidentiality.
• Demonstrates basic PC skills, experience with EMR.
• Demonstrates ability to work well within a team environment and collaborate at all levels of the organization.
• Possess the ability to move across disciplinary boundaries, serving as an integral member of the healthcare team.
• Demonstrates confidentiality according to PHI regarding patient and co-worker information.
• Communicates effectively with adolescent, adult, children, and geriatric patients/families based on principles of growth and development and life stages.
• Functions as a team member with other health professionals to provide a holistic approach to treatment of the patient.
• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with all health care team members, patients and significant others.
• Utilizes problem-solving techniques consistently to resolve complaints or concerns.
• Respects others’ belief systems.
• Respects patient dignity and advocates for patient’s and/or significant other’s rights.
• Relates well to people of all ages, diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.

Preferred

• Bilingual skills a plus.

Required

• Other:
• N/A

Preferred

• Ordination and/or the endorsement from an appropriate ecclesiastical authority for health care ministry.

Additional Posting Information

Hillsboro Medical Center believes in providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified individuals. Recruitment, hiring, promotions, transfers, working conditions, training, and compensation will be based on qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, creed, national origin, marital status, family relationship, veteran status, genetic information, physical or mental disability, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law. We further commit ourselves to continuing the practical application of this policy in our daily business conduct.