The Palliative Care Spiritual Health Clinician (SHC) provides compassionate, inclusive, and skilled spiritual support to patients and families receiving outpatient palliative care. This role is an integral member of the interdisciplinary team, addressing spiritual and existential distress, supporting bereavement care, and contributing to the emotional well-being of patients, caregivers, and staff. The SHC participates in education, program development, and quality improvement to advance whole-person care within the clinic.
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Key Responsibilities
Clinical Care
• Provide individual and family spiritual counseling through in-person, audio, and video (telemedicine) visits.
• Offer spiritual assessments and interventions as part of the interdisciplinary care plan.
• Facilitate culturally sensitive support for diverse spiritual and religious needs, including non-religious or secular frameworks.
• Conduct or participate in legacy work, ritual creation, and meaning-centered interventions.
• Provide bereavement counseling to family members and caregivers following patient deaths, including anticipatory grief support.
Programmatic Responsibilities
• Coordinate and lead the clinic's bereavement service in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.
• Participate in the Clinic Innovations Committee to enhance patient, caregiver, and staff experiences.
• Collaborate with social work, psychology, and medical teams to identify patients needing targeted spiritual care interventions.
Education and Mentorship
• Supervise and mentor learners (e.g., students, spiritual health residents/fellows, medical fellows) during outpatient rotations.
• Contribute to formal didactics, debriefs, or reflective sessions for palliative care fellows and staff.
• Administrator on call for Winship spiritual health one week/month.
Team Support and Collaboration
• Attend and contribute to interdisciplinary team meetings and case conferences.
• Provide emotional and spiritual support to team members as needed, including after challenging clinical events or losses.
• Participate in wellness and team-building initiatives within the outpatient clinic.
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Position development
• Become BCCI (Board Certified Chaplain) and CCSH (Compassion Centered Spiritual Health) registered clinician within 2 years of employment.
• Engage in CBCT teacher training within the first 2 years of employment.
• Teach CBCT following this certification in collaboration with Spiritual Health leadership.
Metrics and Evaluation
• Patient Encounters: Number and modality (audio, video, in-person) of completed spiritual health consults tracked monthly.
• Patient Satisfaction: Inclusion of spiritual care satisfaction in patient feedback/surveys.
• Team Feedback: Periodic team-based assessments of chaplain contributions to care and team well-being.
• Educational Contribution: Documentation of lectures given, learners supervised, and reflective sessions led.
• Program Involvement: Participation in committee initiatives and implementation of bereavement support efforts.
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Work Environment and Schedule
• Hybrid clinical presence required: combination of on-site, audio, and video encounters. Campuses include: EUH, WEM, ESJH.
• Some flexibility to support evening or weekend bereavement events or team support when needed.
Minimum Qualifications:
Education:
- A Masters of Divinity or qualifying graduate degree that meets criteria for BCCI, Inc. (BCC) board certification.
- Ordination or endorsement by an acknowledged faith tradition.
- Four consecutive units of ACPE, Inc. clinical spiritual health education (CPE) with demonstrated competence.
Experience: Experience in palliative care, hospice, oncology, or chronic illness preferred.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS (Medium Max 25lbs): up to 25 lbs., 0-33% of the work day (occasionally) Lifting 25 lbs. max; Carrying of objects up to 25 lbs.; Occasional to frequent standing & walking, Occasional sitting, Close eye work (computers, typing, reading, writing), Physical demands may vary depending on assigned work area and work tasks.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: Factors affecting environmental conditions may vary depending on the assigned work area and tasks. Environmental exposures include but are not limited to: Blood-borne pathogen exposure, Bio-hazardous waste chemicals/gases/fumes/vapors, Communicable diseases, Electrical shock, Floor Surfaces, Hot/Cold Temperatures, Indoor/Outdoor conditions, Latex, Lighting, Patient care/handling injuries, Radiation, Shift work, Travel may be required. Use of personal protective equipment, including respirators, environmental conditions may vary depending on assigned work area and work tasks.