Health Care Chaplain

Candidate will be working in a multi-disciplinary environment, the Pastoral Care Worker’s ministry will embody the Vision, Mission and Values that underpin the Bon Secours approach to person-centred care.  The role of the Pastoral Care Worker is to attend to the Pastoral, Spiritual, Sacramental and Emotional needs of patients and their family members.  By integrating the ethos of the hospital into daily activity, the Pastoral Care Worker will also care for staff, and thereby promote an organisational culture that values the human dignity of every individual in the hospital community.  This will be done within the context of their level of experience, and with the support of other members of the Pastoral Care Team in the hospital and the Bon Secours Health System.

Duties / Responsibilities Specific to this Role:

The Pastoral Care Worker will demonstrate professionalism at all times through their relationships with patients, patients’ relatives and staff; their work standards; their effective use of hospital resources; their compliance with policies and procedures of the Bon Secours Hospital Tralee, and in the following areas:

Professional Competence:

• To function as an active member of the Pastoral Care Team;
• To establish and maintain professional and interdisciplinary relationships;
• To build peer relationships for the purpose of collaboration and active participation in the creation and maintenance of a healthy work environment;
• To adhere to the recognised standards for the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults;
• To keep informed about current ethical issues of healthcare;
• To meet specific Key Performance Indicators in the Pastoral Care Worker role;
• To undertake appropriate education / training in support of the Pastoral Care Worker role;
• To demonstrate flexibility in respect of work roster and the demands of the service.

Practice of Pastoral Care:

• To systematically visit our patients (unless specified otherwise) prioritising when it may be necessary in favour of new patients, those facing surgery, those who are terminally ill, or those nearing death.
• To provide Spiritual, Emotional and Pastoral care to patients and their families with sensitivity, openness, and respect in a variety of contexts;
• To provide Spiritual, Emotional or Pastoral care to staff, as required
• To integrate the spiritual and emotional dimensions of human development into the practice of pastoral care;
• To pray with patients and/or their families, as appropriate;
• To assist and support others in the application of values in their decision-making.
• To act on and make referrals for pastoral care services as appropriate;
• To assist with the care of the chapel and participate in liturgical events including distribution of Holy Communion to Catholic inpatients;
• To record pastoral care visits/interventions in Patient’s Chart and in Pastoral Care Department as directed;
• To undertake specific functions/duties as requested by the Head of Pastoral Care.

Personal Requirements:

• Have the desire to work with the sick and dying;
• Be capable of compassionate ministry;
• Be aware of and articulate how one’s feelings, attitudes, values and assumptions affect one’s ministry;
• Exhibit self-knowledge to a degree that permits pastoral care to be offered within the context of one’s strengths and limitations;
• Be self-reflective, well grounded in one’s relationships with God, self and others;
• Exhibit personal integrity, a clear sense of one’s personal identity and an ability to relate to and communicate with others;
• Function effectively under stress, cope with crisis situations and respond creatively to a multiplicity of challenges;
• Value other people’s belief systems and at all times respect diversity; 
• Present oneself in a manner that reflects professional behaviour, including appropriate attire and personal hygiene;
• Attend to self-care spiritually, emotionally and physically;
• Availing of professional supervision is encouraged for support.

Review of Position:

This job description is subject to periodic revision following discussion with post holder. The Hospital reserves the right to reasonably review / update the duties / terms of this position periodically, to meet the department’s needs and with participation from the post holder.

Interdepartmental / Interdisciplinary Relationships:

The Pastoral Care Worker is responsible for the satisfactory completion of his / her agreed programme. He / She must closely work in liaison with others in carrying out his / her programme and through regular contact and good personal relationships ensure the satisfactory completion of his / her responsibilities.

Confidentiality:

During the course of employment staff may have access to, or hear information concerning the medical or personal affairs of patients, students, staff and/or other health service business. Such records and information are strictly confidential and unless acting on the instruction of an authorised officer, such information must not be divulged or discussed except in the performance of normal duty. In addition, records must never be left in such a manner that unauthorised persons can obtain access to them and must be kept in safe custody when no longer required.

Educational Credentials / Personal Specification:

• 3rd Level Qualification.
• Pastoral training and experience.
• 1 unit of Clinical Pastoral Education.

Experience

• Assisting patients/people with spiritual and emotional needs;
• Working as part of a team of caregivers;
• Performing duties with compassion, energy, openness and flexibility;
• Evidence of showing initiative in a similar role.
• Work experience within the Healthcare environment.

Competencies

• Have the desire to work with the sick, dying and their families;
• Ability to offer spiritual and emotional support to all patients, relatives and staff;
• Good communication and interpersonal skills;
• Good team worker;
• Self-knowledge to a degree that permits pastoral care to be offered within the context of one’s strengths and limitations;
• Well grounded in one’s relationships with God, self and others;
• Capable of compassionate ministry;
• Facility to coordinate liturgical celebrations.

We invite applications for the Catholic Priest Chaplain role to provide pastoral and sacramental services to patients and staff 24 hours per week, including Sunday liturgy. The candidate must have the permission of his Ordinary, be a qualified Healthcare Chaplain and HCB qualified.

Apply to Michelle Raftery at mraftery@bonsecours.ie. Closing date is 11/05/2025