Senior Chaplain

Overview

At Houston Methodist, the Senior Chaplain position is responsible for providing guidance for spiritual care to meet the spiritual, religious, and emotional needs of Houston Methodist patients and their family members. This position provides spiritual care support for Houston Methodist employees, visitors and physicians, following established patient care plans, proactively identifying when a change in approach or intervention is necessary, taking appropriate action and involving others as needed. As the senior level, in addition to performing the duties of Chaplain, the Sr. Chaplain position may serve as in-charge designee in absence of management, participates with management on department planning, implementation, oversight of clinical coverage, activities and staff and assumes primary responsibility for one or more department initiatives/programs. This position assists leadership in carrying out the Houston Methodist mission, vision and values, participating in and leading activities in these efforts.

Houston Methodist Standard

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVEDRefer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

Responsibilities

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Role models a supportive and positive environment. Fosters and leads the team to be a dynamic, team-focused work unit that helps to achieve optimal department results. Collaborates with all members of the patient care team by role modeling communication in a positive, supportive, non-judgmental manner.

• Leads and provides oversight to one or more department initiatives such as one or more Volunteer programs, Eucharistic Ministers, Community Outreach, quality assessments/metrics/reporting, integration of I CARE values, leadership development, etc., including the planning and development of such initiative(s).

• Guides and mentors other chaplains, CPE students and spiritual care volunteers to build confidence in skills, knowledge and abilities. Teaches, orients and precepts new chaplains. Provides input on staff performance/opportunities for development and improvement, proactively participating in activities to develop others.

• Role models' healthy work relationships such as mitigation of conflict, leading problem-solving and resolution efforts. Drives initiatives to improve department scores for employee engagement.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides spiritual care to meet the spiritual, religious, and emotional needs of patients and their family members of all faiths, during hospitalization and particularly for pre-operative, critically ill and dying patients. Enables others to utilize their own faith as a resource for health and healing.

• Makes visits with patients to conduct spiritual care assessments, in response to referrals and codes, and for follow-up care. Follows established patient care plans, proactively identifying when a change in approach or intervention is necessary, taking appropriate action and involving others as needed. Enables patients to participate in their plan of care as applicable.

• Serves as liaison with community clergy, local congregations and denominational groups. Utilizes community resources to assist in meeting the spiritual needs of others.