Chaplain On-Call

Company Description

At Northwestern Medicine every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team youll have the opportunity to join our quest for better healthcare no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. At Northwestern Medicine we pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits we take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better

On-Call Hours: 

• Monday thru Friday 4:00pm 8:00am
• Saturday/Sunday: 24-hour shifts: 8:00am 8:00am

Chaplain On-Call will carry the On-Call pager and need to be within a 30-minute radius of the Hospital.

Chaplain On-Call will have opportunities for additional daytime shifts based upon the scheduling needs of the Spiritual Care Department.

Job Description

Chaplains support spiritual well-being by assisting patients families and staff members to cope with the uncertainty stress and critical demands of the hospital setting. Chaplains are patient-centered in their approach supporting others to identify sources of meaning and hope by drawing upon the values beliefs religious resources and spiritual practices that are most nourishing for them. Chaplains scope of practice includes: conducting spiritual assessments and tailoring interventions to the individualized needs of patients; providing emotional and spiritual support; guiding advance care planning conversations to advocate for patient needs and wishes; facilitating religious rituals providing sacraments and leading prayer blessings and guided meditations; serving as a liaison to community clergy; and collaborating on clinical cases ethics discussions and hospital initiatives as an active member of the inter-professional team.

The chaplain reflects the mission vision and values of NM adheres to the organizations Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program and complies with all relevant policies procedures guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

Provides spiritual care to patients families and staff:

• Provides compassionate spiritual care to patients and families of all backgrounds through direct visitation and by telephone as needed.
• Conducts a spiritual assessment provides appropriate interventions and develops a care plan.
• Consults with the interdisciplinary team when making an assessment and coordinating the plan of care.
• Facilitates meaning-making conversations inclusive of but not limited to suffering grief and loss.
• Documents all patient/family encounters in the medical record.
• Incorporates the patients support network i.e. family friends religious community etc. when appropriate and possible.
• Guides advance care planning conversations and supports patients to apply their values in decision-making.
• Serves as a resource to staff regarding advance directives and ethical issues.
• Provides supportive care to staff via one-on-one consultation and group debriefings.
• Contributes to a culture of safety by utilizing safety tools and being alert to practices and processes that could benefit from quality improvement initiatives.

Provides Spiritual Leadership:

• Provides for the sacramental needs of patients family members and staff.
• Officiates services and ceremonies for patients family members and staff as appropriate and upon request.
• Creatively uses rituals and blessings with hospital staff to mark transitions and honor the sacredness of the work. Participates in the development and delivery of Spiritual Care programs for staff students and the community.

Establishes and maintains professional and interdisciplinary relationships:

• Works collaboratively with the interdisciplinary care team advocating for patient wishes and wholeness.
• Triages and prioritizes caseload using assessment and problem-solving skills.
• Actively partners with clinical staff to identify spiritual care consults and referral opportunities.
• Able to establish and maintain healthy positive relationships with the Spiritual Care team.
• Communicates in a timely informed and respectful manner with patients families colleagues and leadership.
• Educates staff regarding the role of the chaplain as well as the practices and policies of the Spiritual Care Department.
• Empowers and trains clinical staff to recognize and provide a supportive presence in responding to spiritual and emotional needs.
• Makes efforts to alleviate staffing demands by demonstrating flexibility with clinical assignments and work schedules.

Qualifications :

Required:

• One unit of Clinical Pastoral Education or equivalent.
• Bachelors degree in Theology related field or advanced studies equivalent.
• Must be in good standing with his/her faith organization.
• Strong interpersonal skills and in self-direction.

Preferred:

• Two to Four units of Clinical Pastoral Education.
• Masters degree in Divinity or related field.
• Two years of hospital related experience.
• Bilingual English and Spanish preferred.
• Board Certification.

Additional Information :

Northwestern Medicine is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age sex race color religion national origin gender identity veteran status disability sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical emotional and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.