Chaplain - Patient Experience - P/T Varied - University of California, Irvine

UCI Health is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine, and the only academic health system based in Orange County. UCI Health is comprised of its main campus, UCI Medical Center, a 459-bed, acute care hospital in in Orange, Calif., four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and ambulatory care centers across the region. Listed among America’s Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report for 23 consecutive years, UCI Medical Center provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. UCI Health serves a region of nearly 4 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County.

To learn more about UCI Health, visit www.ucihealth.org.

Position Summary:

The University of California, Irvine, a career destination unlike any other, is built upon a rich history of academic and healthcare excellence. We are supported by a globally unique team of academic professionals, researchers, medical experts, and staff. Guided by our mission, vision, and strategic pillars, we thrive in a collaborative environment. We celebrate and leverage the diverse experiences and perspectives of our UCI community to continue to push the boundaries of innovation. Your opportunity to be a part of an award winning team, advancing your career journey, is now!

Incumbent is responsible for providing spiritual care, practices, and services for patients, family members, staff, and other healthcare team members. Assists individuals to integrate their religious beliefs, attitudes, and spiritual resources for the constructive management of their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Evaluates individual needs for spiritual care and initiates individual or group programs to meet those needs. May be called upon to interact with individuals in crisis. Enhances and maintains good community relationships, particularly related to soliciting and utilizing volunteer spiritual care services. Collaborates with the other chaplains, spiritual care leaders, and spiritual care volunteers to facilitate the diverse needs of the patient population in the provision of spiritual care. Works in coordination with the Life Resources Program and may be called upon to give spiritual care to staff of the Medical Center.

Essential Job Functions:

The identification of essential functions below is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties that may be assigned to this position, nor does it restrict the duties which may be assigned to this position if such duties reasonably relate to the position.

• Serves as a role model and resource to resolve problems as they occur in the work unit; providing direction and facilitating workflow to ensure efficient delivery of services. Provides effective training to staff as needed, assessing staff competency in identifying, meeting, and managing patient spiritual needs. Assists in the evaluation of staff performance within the unit. Provides oversight to CPE programs and students. Provides effective oversight to the interfaith chapel/meditation room. Creates, effectively communicates, and participates in, the On-Call pastoral care rotation schedule. 20%
• Recommends the creation or revision of policy related to spiritual care and administers work unit policies and procedures. Effectively participates and manages unit/divisional projects as assigned. Maintains and monitors statistical reports for spiritual care services. Oversees procedures for accurate and timely delivery of services. Recommends the purchase of religious and devotional resources. 15%
• Provides spiritual care to inpatient and ambulatory patients as necessary or requested. Participates and facilitates support groups and family conferences for patients, family members, and staff as needed. Responds to codes as requested. Recognizes and appropriately responds to the psychosocial, spiritual and cultural issues of dying patients and their family members. Provides grief support to patients, family members, and staff, providing private counseling and facilitating memorial services as requested. 40%
• Effectively manages the chaplain program for the medical center. Creates effective partnerships with local spiritual care leaders to meet the diverse needs of the patient population. Evaluates and assesses the spiritual life programs offered to determine effectiveness and recommends changes as necessary. Fosters volunteer opportunities related to spiritual life programs. Organizes, collaborates, and participates in interfaith services, special educational events/seminars, and other special services that deal with spiritual/religious services. 25%

Total Compensation

We offer a wealth of benefits to make working at UCI even more rewarding. These benefits may include medical insurance, sick and vacation time, retirement savings plans, and access to a number of discounts and perks. Please utilize the links listed here to learn more about our compensation practices and benefits.

Required Qualifications:

• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills

• Ordination or commissioning by one’s faith group to serve as a religious leader and endorsement or official recognition by that faith group to function as a chaplain

• Master’s degree in theology, divinity, religious studies, or equivalent degree program

• Working knowledge of the clinical environment and of the counseling and behavioral practices used in providing spiritual care to patients and family members

• Working knowledge of a variety of religious and spiritual traditions and of giving appropriate spiritual care in a multi-faith clinical setting

• Working knowledge of the ethical and confidentiality issues involved in a multi-faith clinical setting

• Flexibility and adaptability to remain calm and deal effectively with changing situations involving crises and stress

• Interpersonal skills and ability to work with and accept people of diverse beliefs, cultures, ethnicities, ages, and health conditions

• Ability to work independently with patients and families while also participating in the healthcare team providing coordinated care

• Strong organizational, prioritization, and decision-making skills

• Working knowledge of spiritual assessment models, solid spiritual assessment skills, and the ability to communicate, verbally and in writing, spiritual assessments of patients/families to the healthcare team

• Ability to establish connections with key persons quickly and function well in crisis/trauma situations, demonstrating compassion, flexibility, sensitivity, and command when needed

• Excellent pastoral judgment and triage skills

• Completion of at least 1 unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and preferably 4 CPE units, from an accredited training center, preferably

• PE accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education

• Demonstrated knowledge about various religious groups

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience working as a Chaplain in a healthcare setting

• Eligible for certification with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC), Neshama: the Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC), or the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC)

Conditions of Employment:

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment for the entire UCI community. As part of this commitment, all applicants who accept an offer of employment must comply with the following conditions of employment:

• Background Check and Live Scan
• Legal Right to Work in the United States
• Vaccination Policies
• Smoking and Tobacco Policy
• Drug Free Environment

The following additional conditions may apply, some of which are dependent upon business unit or job specific requirements.

• California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act
• E-Verify
• Pre-Placement Health Evaluation

Details of each policy may be reviewed by visiting the following page: https://hr.uci.edu/new-hire/conditions-of-employment.php

Closing Statement:

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy.

We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce along with honoring unique experiences, perspectives, and identities. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

UCI provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request. For more information, please contact UCI's Employee Experience Center (EEC) at eec@uci.edu or at (949) 824-0500, Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.