2. Facilitators
• Rev. DeMett E. Jenkins, MDiv
Critical Care/Pastoral Care Volunteer Coordinator
Wellstar Kennestone Hospital
Marietta, Georgia
• Rev. Muriel Thomas Pitts, MDiv; MPA
Chaplain
Columbus Hospice
Columbus, Georgia
3. Background
Muriel Thomas Pitts, MDiv, MPA
• Degree in English
• Worked in Government –
managed funding that was
distributed to non profit
organizations.
• worked in the Non-Profit
industry managing youth
programs to reduce minority over
representation in the juvenile
justice system.
• DeMett E. Jenkins, MDiv
• Degree in Criminal
Justice/Sociology
• Worked as Social Worker over
20 years with juvenile offenders,
family preservation, child
protective services
investigations, battered women
and children, family members of
homicide victims, victim
assistance, intimate partner
violence consultant, testified as
expert witness in domestic
violence case
4. The Staff Chaplain:
Connecting Opportunities for Leadership,
Advancement and Growth.
The Staff Chaplain: Where do we go from here?
5. Abstract
• This session is designed to begin an in depth discussion
and focus on the leadership, career advancement and
professional growth of Chaplains who work in healthcare,
hospice, community organizations, prisons, universities,
etc.
• This session will also provide opportunities for
dialogue, foundational planning, implementation, strategic
development and help to refine/ expand the progression
of Chaplains career life cycle. Lastly, we will engage
discussion around opportunities for Chaplains to grow and
lead while strengthening the professional and personal
attributes that continue to inform the clinical and theological
work used with students, patients, families and staff.
6. Staff
Chaplain
The Faith Community was first
to send people to dungeons and
jails to tend to the needs of
prisoners. In the early 20th
century those people came to
be known as “Chaplains”.
When the government sent its
troops to distant places,
Chaplains were sent to provide
to care for their spiritual needs.
The same applied for prisoners
who were kept in hidden places.
Chaplains were called to be with
them as well.
7. Overview of Topics
• Staff Chaplain requirements and credentialing
• Opportunities
• Challenges
• Leadership Models
9. Requirements and Credentialing
Faith Group Endorsement
Hours/units of CPE
Faith Group Endorsement/Ordination
Board Certification- APC, NACC, NAJC, etc
11. Challenges
• Lack of opportunity for advancement/professional development and leadership
roles.
• Tension between Education (CPE) and
Service (Staff Chaplains positions)
• Institutional/Agency resistance and lack of knowledge regarding benefits/value of
chaplain’s role
• Financial Constraints
• Universal Standards
12. University of Alabama at
Birmingham
Baptist Medical Center
Montgomery, Alabama
Columbus Hospice / Vitas
Hospice
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland
Ohio Health-Riverside
Methodist Hospital
Columbus, Ohio
Carolinas Medical Center
Charlotte, North Carolina
Some Existing Models
13. University of Alabama Hospital at Birmingham
• Staff Chaplains with Dedicated Specialty
Oncology (Cancer Center) Outpatient Care Center
• Program Manager
They are a trainer in the community and provide community
outreach, education and training
By the end of 2016- 25% of the chaplains staff will transition to
Chaplain/Community Educator with hopes to partner and
educate community to prevent reoccuring hospital admissions.
14. Hospice
• No tiered system
• Chaplains work on teams managed by medical staff
– Compensated for Certification
– Low turnover
– All chaplains perform on call
– CPE Program (Vitas)
15. Baptist Medical Center
Montgomery, Alabama
• No Tiered System
• Offers excellent compensation package to include
the following:
– On call bonus
– Merit increases after reaching salary cap
– No high turnover
– Chaplains work for program 20+ years
– All chaplains perform on call (no overnights)
16. Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland
• Recently created a role as Clinical Mentor w/ CPE Students. Chaplain supports,
engages CPE students
• 3 Staff Chaplains with specialty areas. They are the coordinator for their areas
and considering name change to Chaplain Coordinator ( w/New Job
Classification)
Pediatrics, Oncology and Surgery
• Created (2) Fellowships Positions
Chaplain in process of getting board certified and specializes in a particular area.Its
a 2 year fellowship with possibly an additional 1 year.
1. Neonatal Palliative Care
2. Palliative Care
17. Ohio Health- Riverside Methodist Hospital
Columbus, Ohio
• Manager
This position provides management for the provision of spiritual care within the operational unit. Through direct service and
through the training of volunteers and supervision of paid staff, pastoral care services are provided to physicians, staff,
patients, and families as a member of the health care team. He/She counsels, offers emotional support, religious rites and
sacraments, and assists in biomedical ethical decision making. This management position supervises and coordinates the
work of the Pastoral Care Department, provides leadership to the Ethics Advisory Committee, and is responsible for system
Mission & Ministry initiatives within the operating unit, including relationships to all religious faith communities.
25%: Direct provision of pastoral/spiritual care to physicians, staff, patients, and families.
· 40%: Training and supervision of pastoral care volunteers and staff for provision of 24/7 coverage. Clinical site mentor for
clinical pastoral education students.
· 15%: Management and implementation of system Mission & Ministry initiatives and policy review.
· 10%: Management of relationships with local clergy faith communities.
· 10%: Demonstrates capacity to lead patient care conferences, interprofessional team meetings, department quality
improvement initiatives, policy review, and research projects. Acts as a consultant to physicians, nurses, and other members
of the interprofessional team.
• · Certification by a member organization recognized by COMISS (Council on Ministry in Specialized Settings)
http://www.comissnetwork.org/memberorgs.html
• · Initial employment of an individual chaplain who has not yet completed requirements for certification may be done with
approval by the vice president of Mission & Ministry and only with an approved plan and time line for compliance.
18. Ohio Health- Riverside Methodist Hospital
Columbus, Ohio
• Advanced Chaplain Practitioner
The advanced chaplain practitioner works as a consultant to physicians, nurses, and other members of the interprofessional team in assessing
the spiritual and psychosocial priorities of patients. The advanced chaplain practitioner engages in direct patient care through clinical empathy,
focused listening, conflict mediation, interpretation of medical ethics, and religious support.
• 35%: Assesses spiritual needs/concerns of patients and their families using clinical pastoral conversation. Communicates and documents
patient responses to determine the effectiveness and congruence with plan of care. Improves patient experience and care plan
compliance through appropriate, evidence-informed strategies of pastoral conversation regarding emotional pain, injury adjustment,
chronic illness, life-threatening or serious illnesses, dimensions of grief, end of life concerns, and religious knowledgebase.
• · 15%: Advanced practice skill-set includes the ability to review the medical record including health history, history of chief complaint. Is
familiar with basic medical terminology and treatment strategies common to assigned patient population.
• · 10%: Provides appropriate religious/spiritual rituals, non-pharmacological interventions to patients, families, and interprofessional
team. Acts as a liaison with the patient’s faith group/leaders including other community or cultural resources.
• · 10%: Demonstrates capacity to lead patient care conferences, interprofessional team meetings, department quality improvement
initiatives, policy review, and research projects. Acts as a consultant to physicians, nurses, and other members of the interprofessional
team.
• · 10%: Demonstrates an advanced knowledgebase regarding medical ethics and legal issues including advance care planning, organ
donation, futility of care, and patient rights. Acts as a primary contact for ethics concerns and formal consultations.
• · 10%: Advanced practice skill-set includes the ability to provide care in diverse acute/non-acute settings including (but not limited to)
hospital, outpatient areas, extended care facilities, and homes.
• · 10%: Advanced practice skill-set includes education and teaching. Participates in system clinical pastoral education program as a
mentor, preceptor, and didactic instructor. Offers in-service education to the interprofessional team.
• ACPE Supervisor, Board Certified Chaplain, Certified Hospice & Palliative Care Chaplain. (Member organizations of COMISS)
• · Credential: BCC, BCC-HPCC, BCC
19. Ohio Health – Riverside Methodist Hospital
Columbus, Ohio
• Decedent Care Coordinator
The main purpose of this position is to develop, manage, and evaluate the decedent care protocol, procedure and process. This will be accomplished by achieving the
following goals: provide a positive pastoral intervention by meeting the needs of families of deceased patients; fulfill federal, state, county and The Joint Commission
standards and requirements; and educate and support hospital staff in the decedent care process. The associate is the hospital’s liaison with Lifeline of Ohio and the
Central Ohio Lions Eye Bank.
Lead Worker - Associate reports to the Director of Pastoral Care, serves as a resource for other associates; communicate instructions regarding decedent care process
and procedures; do minor scheduling; oversee and inspect all decedent care work performed by Pastoral Care chaplains; continually educate and provide guidance to
other pastoral care staff and the interprofessional team around decedent care protocols. The Decedent Care Coordinator will work very closely with CPE Supervisors
concerning decedent care performance issues of Chaplain Residents. This associate does not hire, fire, discipline, promote, demote, transfer, or appraise, but may be
consulted by higher management in these areas.
• 50%: Maintain hospital compliance with statutory and regulatory policies regarding decedent care policies and procedures. Write and revise policies, procedures
and forms related to decedent care process. Problem-solve issues, Identify system problems; initiate and organize change process and new programs; develop
solutions for system problems.
• · 25%: Provides direct patient care as requested for emergent and routine requests. Assesses spiritual needs/concerns of patients and their families using
clinical pastoral conversation. Communicates and documents patient responses to determine the effectiveness and congruence with plan of care
• · 5%: Participates in on-call rotation which may include overnight or weekend shifts..
• · 5%: Serves as a resource/liaison for decedent care concerns with interprofessional team, families, external agencies, funeral homes and individuals in the
community (Example: County Coroner, Lifeline of Ohio, Central Ohio Lions Eye Bank).
• · 5%: Demonstrates knowledge of medical ethics and legal issues including advance care planning, organ donation, futility of care, and patient rights. May act
as a primary contact for ethics concerns and formal consultations.
• · 5%: Maintain statistics on hospital deaths, donations and autopsies. Communicate to managers, physicians and staff the progress and status of the decedent
care program and provide feedback to hospital staff who are involved in the decedent care process.
• · 5%: Provides appropriate religious/spiritual rituals, non-pharmacological interventions to patients, families, and interprofessional team. Acts as a liaison with
the patient’s faith group/leaders including other community or cultural resources.
• Resolves cases of “abandoned” body (where family is unknown or family does not financial means)
• · Communicates effectively issues/concerns with County Coroner, Lifeline of Ohio and/or Central Ohio Lions Eye Bank.
• · Determines proper physician to sign Certificate of Death when funeral home has reached an impasse.
• · Resolves issues/concerns with Pathology Department, Medical Records, Risk Management, Office of General Counsel, etc
20. Carolinas Medical Center
Charlotte, North Carolina
• Supervisory Staff Chaplain (takes on the role of supervising volunteer chaplains
or field education placement students)
Manager of Spiritual Care (facility where assigned has administrative tasks
added)
Assistant Director of Spiritual Care (usually a larger facility with added
responsibilities for chaplain)
Director of Spiritual Care (demonstrative leadership skills combined with clinical
prowess gets recognized here)
Executive Director of Spiritual Care and Education (currently this position has
ACPE Supervisor in job description at this time)
21. Staff Chaplains? Where do we go from here?
Given what we have discussed thus far, what are your
thoughts about the career life cycle of the staff Chaplain?
What do you see as a model?
What do you see as “Next Steps” from this conversation?
What are you willing to do now?
22. What’s Next?
• Develop a Task Force- Chaplain Career Ladder
Team (CCLT) for continued discussion with reps
from each region that consist of Chaplains, SES
and CPE Supervisors to convene in 6 weeks (June
2015) via video chat (skype, ovoo)
• Develop a clinical model/curriculum for Staff
Chaplain Leadership
