Spiritual Counselor/Bereavement Coordinator

Swan Hospice is actively seeking a Part time/Per Diem Spiritual Counselor/Bereavement Coordinator to join our team in Central New Jersey.

We provide quality hospice care to patients in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities and in private homes.

A. BASIC PURPOSE

This is a professional position responsible for the provision of non-denominational spiritual care services to patients, families, significant others and/or caregivers. The services are provided either directly or through coordination of care with other spiritual counselors that may include community religious leaders of the patient’s/family member’s faith.

B. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Spiritual Counseling

1. Provides the comprehensive assessment of spiritual needs of hospice patients, families and/or caregivers within five (5) calendar days of patient’s election to the hospice benefit or according to patient/family wishes on the Spiritual Care Assessment Form.

2. Provide consultation and support to patients, families, caregivers and team members in a non-denominational manner or as requested by patient/families/caregivers and documents according to agency policies and procedures.

3. Provides spiritual counseling and support to patients, families, caregivers and significant others in a non-denominational manner or as requested by patients/families/caregivers and documents services provided according to agency policies and procedures/clinical record guidelines.

4. Contacts patient/family’s preferred spiritual advisor/clergy to ensure ongoing involvement and to invite participation in interdisciplinary care planning when requested by team member or patient/family member.

5. Contacts clergy, spiritual counselors or other religious leaders to assist in spiritual care of patients and family members as requested.

6. Develops and documents plan for spiritual care, in conjunction with the Interdisciplinary Care Team (IDT).

7. Participates in IDT meeting and evaluate and revises/updates the comprehensive assessment and plan for spiritual care of patients/ families/caregivers with the IDT on an ongoing basis, as frequently as the patient’s condition requires, but no less frequently than every fifteen (15) calendar days.

8. Maintains records of spiritual care services utilization and related activities for quality assurance, program development and policy and procedure review and revision.

9. Maintains working list of local community rabbis, clergy and spiritual counselors.

10. Provides consultation, education and support to the IDT on spiritual care.

11. Establishes networks with faith communities throughout the service area for the purposes of teaching about the hospice philosophy and enlisting aid in providing spiritual support and attends area ministerial meetings as appropriate and possible.

12. Provides for funeral planning, as well as funeral and/or memorial services for patients as requested.

13. Conducts memorial services for the agency as requested by the Administrator.