Clinical Chaplain - Hackensack Meridian Health

Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. 

At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community. 

Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

The Clinical Chaplain provides compassionate pastoral ministry to all patients/residents, their family, loved ones, and team members. The Clinical Chaplain supports patients/residents, and their families in times of crisis, anxiety, or sorrow in grief and suffering. The Clinical Chaplain facilitates communication with caregivers outside the healthcare team; serves as a subject matter expert in pastoral care matters and collaborates with community clergy to provide ongoing spiritual support. The Clinical Chaplain maintains a working knowledge of customs and practices from a diversity of world religions and faith practices and works to assure that patients and family members are respected in their individual beliefs, customs, traditions and practices.

A day in the life of a Clinical Chaplain with Hackensack Meridian Health includes:

•  Supports spiritual and emotional needs based on initial and ongoing spiritual assessments and document actions taken and plan of care in the patient's or resident's medical record.
•  Develops patient spiritual care plans and collaborates with the care team by notating in the patient's chart. Conducts in-services for multi-disciplinary members on issues relating to assessing and meeting spiritual care needs.
•  With patient/resident consent, and as necessary, acts as a liaison between family and clinical team during crisis by supporting and comforting family members.
•  Provides intensive and extensive pastoral care and spiritual counseling to patients/residents, families and team members during and after critical events.
•  Collaborates with Palliative Care Team and attends palliative care team meetings to provide optimal care and support during each phase of the patient's end of life process.
•  Conducts patient/resident rounds to assess and support spiritual needs and collaborates with the care team on care planning.
•  Visits patients/residents, and families who request pastoral care services.
•  As requested and clinically indicated, participates in family conferences to support the patient/resident, family, physicians and team members.
•  Coordinates the use of local clergy and ministers from various faiths and denominations when appropriate.
•  Provides the theological framework to assure spiritual care can be delivered through the coordinated efforts of the volunteer clergy network.
•  Collaborates with volunteer service leaders on screening and training pastoral care volunteers.
•  Participates in committee meetings to offer expertise, guidance and education in pastoral care matters concerning religion, culture and theology.
•  Where requested and clinically relevant, initiates and or leads team members in emotional reflection at interdisciplinary team meetings.
•  Provides liturgical/sacramental ministry of prayer, communion, emergency baptisms, memorial services, hospital celebrations, ceremonies and services.
•  When requested, proactively coordinates and leads didactics or educational training relating to pastoral care for all care teams.
•  Make full use of one's own religious heritage, theological understanding, and knowledge of the behavioral sciences in pastoral ministry to persons and groups.
•  Follows the highest standards of ethical conduct as outlined by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Educators.
•  Maintains medical records, reports and data as necessary for regulatory reporting and continuous quality improvement.
•  May be required to work weekends and/or, as needed, carry a beeper or similar communication device to respond to emergencies for pastoral support.
•  Identifies the needs of the patient population served and modifies and delivers care that is specific to those needs (i.e., age, culture, language, hearing and/or visually impaired, etc.). This process includes communicating with the patient/resident, spouse, parent, and/or primary caregiver(s) at their level (developmental/age, educational, literacy, etc.).
•  Adheres to the standards identified in the Medical Center's Organizational Competencies.
•  Adheres to standards of competency in accordance with best practices of accrediting agencies (i.e., ACPE, CPSP, NACC, CMS, Joint Commission) and professional certification standards.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

•  Successfully completed two units of Clinical Pastoral Education from a nationally recognized and accredited organization.
•  Commit to participate in professional training towards certification(s) within 12 months of date of hire (i.e., board certified clinical chaplain, supervisor in training).
•  Bachelor's degree or equivalent in pastoral studies/theology/religious studies or related to congregational or institutional Ministry or Pastoral Ministry certification program or proof of enrollment while matriculating in an accredited program leading to a Bachelor's degree or equivalent certification.
•  Three years previous experience in pastoral ministry as Lead Pastor or Assisting Minister.
•  Two years experience working in a clinical environment with patients and families facing life-threatening injury or illness.
•  Endorsement of a pastoral leader of one's religious denomination.
•  Professional development or continuing education credits in the field of pastoral ministry, counseling or community issues.
•  Computer knowledge for purposes of documentation, continuing education and public presentation.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

•  Graduate degree or matriculating in a graduate degree program from an accredited seminary or school of theology with M.Div. or Masters of Theology.
•  Board Certification as a Clinical Chaplain from a nationally recognized and accredited organization.
•  Experience and formal education in pastoral counseling.

If you feel that the above description speaks directly to your strengths and capabilities, then please apply today!