Hospice Chaplain/Bereavement Coordinator

Full-time, Non-Exempt

JOB SUMMARY

Provide spiritual, grief, and bereavement support for hospice, families and staff of Hospice by John Knox Village. May coordinate and lead support groups. Supportive of the Village's mission, values, and service/hospitality (PRIDE) expectations. Completes training as required by policy.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Provides emotional and spiritual support to hospice patients, family members, caregivers, bereaved and pre-bereaved.
• Provides direct spiritual support and end of life counsel to patients, families, and caregivers in keeping with the spiritual beliefs of the patient, family, and caregivers.
• Completes initial spiritual and bereavement assessments within 5 days of patient admission.
• Performs and documents spiritual and bereavement assessments, develops and documents plan(s) of care including the goals of care and services provided, monitors, and documents the patient and family response to care on an ongoing basis.
• Participates with the interdisciplinary team in assessing the bereavement risk of caregivers and family.
• Plans, directs, organizes and coordinates bereavement activities in a manner that is meaningful to the clients served and is within regulations governing bereavement services.
• Performs duties in accordance with hospice policies and Federal and State hospice regulatory requirements.
• Attends weekly IDT meetings for Hospice patients.
• Attends facility Plan of Care meetings for facility patients.
• Maintains contact with community clergy regarding patient's spiritual needs as needed.
• Responsible for alerting RN Case Manager of patient changes/needs.
• Maintains proper documentation of pastoral care and grief/bereavement visits to patients and families/caregivers.
• Participates in Hospice by John Knox Village on call support staff rotation.
• Maintains current knowledge of community resources.
• Assists patients and their families with health care, grief and bereavement planning and offers assistance in the form of appropriate support services.
• Conducts or assists in funeral arrangements or memorial services when requested.
• Provides consultation and education to other team members as needed or requested.
• Conducts or assists with community education programs regarding grief and bereavement.
• Facilitates presentations to volunteer and community groups.
• Assists in training/orienting volunteers, new associates, students, and interns in hospice philosophy related to spiritual and grief/bereavement needs.
• Continue professional growth by attending seminars, workshops, or classes and by reading current literature.
• Adheres to all safety regulations and requirements.
• Handles stress well and gets along with others within the workplace and with customers outside the department.
• Maintains acceptable standards of workplace conduct.

The responsibilities described above represent the primary responsibilities of the job. Other responsibilities may be assigned by the supervisor as warranted by business needs. The incumbent is expected to perform all assigned responsibilities.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Master of Science degree in religion studies.
• Advanced training in counseling, Clinical Pastoral Education or Gerontology required.
• One year's experience in grief support preferred.
• One year's experience in facilitating support groups preferred.

Licenses/Certifications:

• This position requires use of personal vehicle with valid driver's license.
• Ordained, commissioned or credentialed according to the practice of an organized religious group.
• Bereavement certification preferred.

Knowledge and Skills (required unless otherwise noted):

• Must have completed training in common spiritual issues in death and dying; belief systems of comparative religions related to death and dying; spiritual assessment skills; individualizing care to patient beliefs; and varied spiritual practices
• Must have a thorough understanding of issues related to grief, loss and bereavement and must be empathetic with warm acceptance of individuals in the grieving process.
• Must have knowledge of state and federal regulations governing bereavement services.
• Intermediate level keyboarding skills, Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Advanced customer service, relationship building and conflict management skills.
• Ability to effectively present information to individuals and public groups.

Experience:

• One year's experience in Hospice care required.

Special Working Conditions

• The associate is subject to inside environmental conditions: Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.
• The associate may be required to function around individuals with challenged mental capacities.
• The associate is exposed to infectious diseases.
• This position may have on-call responsibilities.
• Required to drive from one location to another for services provided.
• All associates may be called upon to assist other departments in a declared emergency situation.

Physical and Mental Demands

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Sedentary Work - Exerting up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
• The associate is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; visual inspection involving small defects, small parts, and/or operation of machines (including inspection); using measurement devices; and/or assembly or fabrication of parts at distances close to the eyes.
• May need to stoop/bend, kneel, crawl, and reach.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Receives direction from the Psychosocial Services Manager.

SUPERVISION GIVEN

Supervises volunteers in the bereavement program.

EOE/D/V

Nicotine-Free Workplace

Drug Free Workplace

Post-offer background check and health screening required

Questions may be directed to careers@jkv.org