Provide direct spiritual care to patients, families, and staff while collaborating with interdisciplinary medical teams. Lead faith-specific and interfaith services and mentor Clinical Pastoral Education students.
Requirements summary
Requires a Master's degree in theology or divinity and completion of four units of Clinical Pastoral Education. At least one year of related healthcare experience is required.
If you're ready to be part of our legacy of hope and innovation, we encourage you to take the first step and explore our current job openings. Your best is waiting to be discovered. Day - 08 Hour (United States of America) This is a Stanford Health Care job. A Brief Overview Under the supervision of the Manager of Spiritual Care Services, the primary responsibility of a Chaplain is to provide spiritual care to patients, families, visitors, and staff. Patients are seen at the bedside or in outpatient settings as assigned. The Chaplain is involved in all aspects of care including, but not limited to, team meetings, family meetings, and goals of discussions. Staff support is provided through 1:1 encounters and group gatherings in the units and other locations as needed. The Chaplain is also in charge of developing and leading hospital-wide and community faith-specific and interfaith services. The Chaplain works as a team member in accordance with the Spiritual Care Services Mission and Vision Statements, following its Administrative Policies and Procedures. The Chaplain also performs other duties as assigned by the Director or Manager of Spiritual Care Services. Locations Stanford Health Care What you will do Spiritual Care (75%)
Provides direct spiritual care to patients, families, and staff.
Adheres to all triage duties and responsibilities when needed. (Please refer to Triage Guidelines).
Serves as advocate in articulating patients’ and families’ spiritual needs.
Offers and receives consultation with the interdisciplinary team in delivery of patient care, functioning in a collaborative, cooperative manner.
Serves as liaison between Spiritual Care and other SHC departments.
Works to increase the visibility and enhance the quality of Spiritual Care within the hospital community.
Assists in developing, coordinating, and evaluating Spiritual Care initiatives to staff.
Shares in planning and leadership of services.
Provides weddings, memorial services, and baptisms for patients and staff within or in accordance with their beliefs and/or religious tradition.
Provides and/or participates in other special services offered through Spiritual Care in collaboration with the Manager, team members and hospital staff.
In collaboration with the Manager, and team members, develops services and resources appropriate for the holy days of various religious traditions.
Charts visits in the medical record accurately and in a timely manner (within the scheduled work shift). that is relevant to the patient’s medical, psychosocial, and spiritual/religious goals of care.
Maintains daily records of the Department’s activities in accordance with Department’s data gathering tool in use.
Participates in triage rotations, is available on short notice for emergencies and overnight coverage as needed.
Facilitates and coordinates Code Blue, and non-Code critical incident stress debriefings as needed.
Performs other duties as required, or assigned by, or negotiated with the Manager of Spiritual Care Services. Community Relations (5%)
Shares responsibility for maintaining and developing positive relationships with significant individuals and constituent groups (religious leaders, faith communities/faith groups, inter-faith groups, other hospitals, and graduate schools of religion) in support of SHC and Spiritual Care programs.
Shares responsibility for coordinating and presenting educational events for SHC. Precepting (10%)
Develops and teaches workshops and seminars for presentation to Clinical Pastoral Care Education (CPE) Chaplain students on a schedule to be negotiated with the Manager of Spiritual Care Education – CPE and Director of Spiritual Care Services.
Assists in developing a curricular track for inclusion in the overall CPE curriculum.
Regularly participates in joint visits with Chaplain students to assess their functioning and to offer critique for improvement of spiritual caregiving.
Helps orient CPE students to unit(s) and facilitates students’ clinical involvement. Assists in other dimensions of CPE programs as requested and appropriate.
Mentors CPE students, who will support staff Chaplains in providing spiritual care to patients and families admitted to inpatient clinical areas.
May assist in recruitment, interviewing and selection of CPE students. Administrative Duties (10%)
Attends team meetings and retreats.
Serves on selected hospital committees as appointed by the Manager.
Serves on Campus, Religious, or other community committees as appointed by the Manager.
Attends religious/faith group meetings to maintain good standing and serves on committees of national Spiritual Care organization(s) as needed.
Assists with other administrative duties as assigned by the Manager.
Serves on ethical case consultations to represent spiritual care and to participate in ethical decision making when needed.
Serves as a consultant to students and staff on questions of ethical considerations.
Assists in the interpretation and evaluation of ethical questions and moral situations in care delivery, to ensure the dignity and rights of the patient.
Assists in the research and development of relevant policies and procedures to ensure continued provision of ethically appropriate and culturally and religiously sensitive care to patients.
Adheres to current organizational Performance Improvement priorities.
Participates in quality studies through data collection and analysis.
Makes recommendations and takes actions to improve Spiritual Care Services structures, systems and outcomes. Education Qualifications Master's Degree in theology, divinity, or religious studies required. Graduation from a seminary or school of theology that approved by a professional chaplain certifying organization required. Experience Qualifications One (1) years of directly related work experience in a health care setting, including completion of Four (4) Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) required. Required
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of medical practice, ethical issues in health care, hospital procedures, developmental needs across all age groups (Infant to Geriatric), and adheres to SHC and Common Codes of Ethics, privacy/confidentiality (PHI), and safety/infection control standards. Meets all Level 1 and 2 Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) outcomes, board certification competencies, and demonstrates ongoing intellectual curiosity and commitment to continuous improvement through education and learning opportunities. Exhibits theological, philosophical, and spiritual reflection skills, and integrates pastoral/spiritual perspectives across a variety of settings including interdisciplinary case conferences, staff education, and group processes. Provides individualized and group pastoral care with cultural and religious sensitivity, supporting persons through crisis, end-of-life situations, decision-making, and coping with loss—always with compassion, professionalism, and alignment with SHC values. Demonstrates exceptional communication, teaching, and counseling skills, with the ability to adjust communication to suit diverse audiences and understanding levels, and to speak and write effectively. Offers consultation to colleagues, mentorship to students, and actively contributes to the development and effectiveness of inter-faith/inter-belief spiritual care programs. Provides strong leadership in spiritual care, demonstrating creativity and excellence in designing and delivering spiritual/religious services, motivating others, energizing team members, and influencing interprofessional teams. Works collaboratively and diplomatically with hospital staff, interdisciplinary teams, and community religious leaders to foster a cohesive and effective Spiritual Care department. Performs effectively in high-pressure and crisis situations, showing resourcefulness, appropriate assertiveness, calmness under stress, and sound judgment while meeting departmental productivity goals. Exemplifies strong organizational, interpersonal, and problem-solving abilities; maintains professionalism, accountability, and dependability in ministering to patients with a range of physical and mental health needs. Preferred
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Bilingual ability with English and Spanish. Licenses and Certifications Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) preferred National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) preferred Neshama: The Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC) preferred Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC) preferred National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplains (NAVAC) preferred Ordination or commissioning by one's faith group to serve as a religious leader and endorsement or official recognition by that faith group to function as a Chaplain preferred These principles apply to ALL employees: SHC Commitment to Providing an Exceptional Patient & Family Experience Stanford Health Care sets a high standard for delivering value and an exceptional experience for our patients and families. Candidates for employment and existing employees must adopt and execute C-I-CARE standards for all of patients, families and towards each other. C-I-CARE is the foundation of Stanford’s patient-experience and represents a framework for patient-centered interactions. Simply put, we do what it takes to enable and empower patients and families to focus on health, healing and recovery. You will do this by executing against our three experience pillars, from the patient and family’s perspective: Know Me: Anticipate my needs and status to deliver effective care Show Me the Way: Guide and prompt my actions to arrive at better outcomes and better health Coordinate for Me: Own the complexity of my care through coordination Equal Opportunity Employer Stanford Health Care (SHC) strongly values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination in all of its policies and practices, including the area of employment. Accordingly, SHC does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity and/or expression, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or disability, or the perception of any of the above. People of all genders, members of all racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Qualified applicants with criminal convictions will be considered after an individualized assessment of the conviction and the job requirements. Base Pay Scale: Generally starting at $37.82 - $49.15 per hour The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training. This pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage. At Stanford Health Care, we seek to provide patients with the very best in diagnosis and treatment, with outstanding quality, compassion and coordination. With an unmatched track record of scientific discovery, technological innovation and translational medicine, Stanford Medicine physicians are pioneering leading edge therapies today that will change the way health care is delivered tomorrow. As part of our spirit of discovery, we also leverage our deep relationships with luminary Silicon Valley companies to develop new ways to deliver preeminent patient care. Learn about our awards and significant events.
Market context
California staff chaplain roles stay selective
In California, staff chaplain openings in healthcare often reflect steady demand for spiritual care in hospitals and other clinical settings. These roles are competitive because employers typically look for a master’s degree in theology or divinity, completed Clinical Pastoral Education, and prior healthcare experience. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to save time, then confirm your CPE units and healthcare background match the posting before applying.
