Job Description

To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values - integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion - must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day.
The Priest Chaplain is responsible for the sacramental needs of all Catholic patients and is committed to respect the dignity and faith tradition of everyone .  He offers spiritual support to patients of all faith traditions, their families, and hospital staff. The Priest Chaplain also facilitates communication between patients and their faith communities along with coverage of their assigned units.  
EEO/AA/Disability/Veteran

• • Ensure the delivery of a complete program of spiritual care to patients, their loved ones, and staff in a manner that is true to the values of the Catholic Church.
  • As ordained Priest, the Priest Chaplain is directly responsible to the local ordinary or his representative. He receives his faculties and assignment from the local ordinary.
  • His primary purpose is to meet the sacramental and religious needs of Catholic patients.
  • As part of the pastoral care team the Priest Chaplain provides a comforting presence to patients and families in times of distress.
  • As ordained priest he makes himself available for sacramental care and spiritual counseling to hospital staff.
  • As chaplain he participates in interdisciplinary Health Care Teams, providing medical staff with insights on patients’ spiritual well-being and religious needs.
  • He responds to patient referrals by health care team members.
  • He will assess and respond compassionately to individual patient/family spiritual needs on regularly scheduled daily visitations, i.e., new admissions, inpatient units, emergency room, intensive care units, and, as requested .
  • As chaplain he is to provide chaplain care to patients and families on his designated floor assignments. 
  • He directly supports the Palliative Care team according to the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, fifth edition, by providing moral and ethical guidance in critical decisions and on end-of-life medical care.
  • He is responsible for stablishing positive working relationships with all members of the health care team, as well as with hospital volunteer Eucharistic Ministers and volunteer spiritual companions.
  • As chaplain he is responsible for attending and participating in Pastoral Care department meetings.
  • Keep records and share information as set forth by HIPAA.
  • Serve on committees of the hospital as requested and approved by Manager of Spiritual Care .
  • Ensure the orientation of replacement Priest Chaplains to hospital before leaving for vacation to ensure uninterrupted continuation of sacramental and pastoral care.
  • Organize and provide liturgy for patients, families and staff where appropriate ; Lead Holy Mass daily and on Holy Days and/or Special services, e.g. memorial services.
  • Guide the patient/ families/ hospital staff in applying the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, particular ethical dilemmas and guide everyone concerned to understand the role of conscience within the Catholic tradition as communicated by the National Conference of Catholic Bishop.
  • Make referrals to appropriate departments within the hospital according to patient’s need.
  • Priest chaplain is expected to regularly confer with the nursing personnel of the hospital units about the religious and spiritual condition of the patients and their immediate families.
  • Priest chaplains are required to appropriately document Last Rites/SOS on the patient’s medical record. (except matters that are protected by the seal of confession)
  • All persons serving in CHSLI hospitals and care facilities must comply with the established HIPAA regulations for the use and disclosure of Protected Health Information.

EDUCATION

Position requires a Bachelor's Degree, with a Masters of Divinity degree or its equivalent strongly preferred; if a Masters of Divinity or equivalent is not held, the candidate must have met the educational requirements to become an Associate Chaplain in APC, NACC, or NAJC (or equivalent) and be progressing toward associate chaplain or chaplain board certification. Chaplain has official recognition of ministry, such as ordination, acceptable to Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC), National Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC), or comparable national chaplain certification agencies; also endorsement for institutional ministry by ecclesiastical authority; also at least four (4) units (1600 hours) of ACPE, Inc. accredited Clinical Pastoral Education.

EXPERIENCE

Two (2) to three (3) years of pastoral experience is recommended, including work in a secular institution within an multi-faith framework and where relationship with patients and their families is an on-going activity.

SPECIAL SKILLS

• Excellent pastoral and communication skills.
• Ability to be pastorally present in difficult circumstances.
• Multi-denominational cultural and religious knowledge and sensitivity.
• Assessment of the spiritual needs of those served, grounded in theology and with an understanding of the behavioral sciences.
• Competence in Microsoft Office.
• Ability to learn and implement system software in reasonable time.

Ordination in the Roman Catholic Church and good standing with the Catholic Church and local Ordinary.  

• Ability to interface with and support individuals from diverse cultural and faith traditions.
• Ability to work with interdisciplinary teams of doctors, nurses, social workers, etc.
• Must be certified or certification-eligible by, and in good standing with the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and Association of Professional Chaplains.
• Experience in Chaplaincy required .
• Be current in the payment of the professional association’s annual dues .

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