Chaplain (Per Diem)

Job Summary

Provides direct pastoral care to patients and families of diverse faith traditions under the supervision of the Pastoral Care Leadership in accordance with established procedures. Available to Nicklaus team members to provide overall spiritual guidance. Works under the direction of the Sr. Chaplain.

Job Specific Duties

• Responds to patient/family requests, assesses families and documents visits/interventions within 24 hours of receiving request; administers and documents the sacrament of baptism when indicated; administers religious rites in observance of the patient’s faith tradition (this may include consulting or involving a clergy representative of the family’s faith); documents all referrals. Informs the Senior Chaplain regarding completed activities and amount of hours worked.
• Conducts assessments to identify, address and meet the spiritual needs of patients and families.
• Assists the Senior Chaplain with the planning of worship services on major holidays and other observances. Assists with chapel-related tasks such as the stocking and distribution of spiritual reading material.
• Collaborates and communicates with multidisciplinary team members in identifying and resolving issues; coordinates the patient’s spiritual plan or approach while keeping social workers and other disciplines informed. Focuses on the importance of well-coordinated workflow to ensure effective continuity of care.
• Regularly reviews the PEDS electronic health record to identify requests. Prioritizes requests according to acuity level and consistently documents visits to patients/families who have asked to see the chaplain. Transfers all relevant completed or pending case information to the Senior Chaplain.
• Assists the patient and family spiritually with end of life themes and during the patient’s terminal phase. Responds rapidly when a death occurs and provides crisis intervention, grief/bereavement support, and conducts memorial prayer services when indicated.
• Responds to emergency situations/codes blue, orange, D, etc. when in house. If on-call, responds within 45 minutes to patient or family requests for spiritual assistance. Consistently communicates with team members such as the bedside nurse to clarify request-related issues and to determine the most appropriate course of action.
• Serves as a liaison with community and visiting clergy; upon patient/family request, arranges the provision of pastoral services by contacting their spiritual leader; when indicated, initiates referrals to other hospital chaplains.
• Is observant of the importance of attaining pastoral care KPI-related goals; actively participates in competency as well as survey readiness reviews/updates.

Minimum Job Requirements

• Masters of Divinity or Masters of Arts from an accredited school 
• Four units of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) from an accredited center. Board certification from a religious association such as ACPE (Assoc. of Clinical Pastoral Education), NACC (National Association of Catholic Chaplains), etc. within one year of employment.
• Requirements for the Roman Catholic Priest and Jewish Rabbi will not require the completion of the 4 units of CPE nor the board certification by the APC. The Roman Catholic Priest will have completed equivalent training and certifications per the Roman Catholic Church and the Archdiocese of Miami. The Jewish Rabbi will have completed the appropriate rabbinical training and certification.Ordination by a recognized religious body and endorsement by the appropriate ecclesiastical authority; endorsement for specialized hospital ministry by the proper ecclesiastical authority.
• Level II Background Check
• Two years of pastoral care experience in a hospital/healthcare setting serving pediatric, adult or geriatric patient populations; other pastoral care-related expertise will be considered.
• A Roman Catholic Priest will have permission (faculties) from the Archbishop or designated ecclesiastical authority.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Continuous exposure to diverse faith traditions preferred.
• Fluency in English and Spanish preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Able to maintain confidentiality of all patient/family information.
• Ability to communicate promptly, clearly, and courteously with all hospital team members and customers.
• Knowledge in the use of computers, Microsoft Office applications, PEDS, and ability to learn appropriate software applications to enter and access patient/family data.
• Develops and maintains knowledge and skills through participation in professional organizations, conferences, and other continuing education programs.
• Ability to relate cooperatively and constructively with patients, families, and co-workers.
• Ability to evaluate and assess situation to provide spiritual care to patient and the family.
• Ability to understand, adapt, and react calmly under stressful conditions.

As required under the directive of House Bill 531 (2025) we are providing the link below to the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse Education and Awareness website.

https\://info.flclearinghouse.com/