How to Hire a Chaplain for a Hospice

For frail and sick hospice patients, the hospice chaplain is the face and hand of God. He listens. He comforts. He tries "to make sense of existence." "Some of the hospice patients talk about their impending deaths, or about God," according to a "New York Times" article. "Most just talk about what people always talk about --- unfinished business and unanswered questions ... feeling sick to death of being sick yet not ready to die." So hiring the right chaplain is critical for the spiritual health and comfort of hospice patients.

• 1

  Prepare a hiring timeline. You probably will need eight weeks or more to complete the hiring process, including three to four weeks for accepting resumes, two weeks for the short-listing and interviewing process and another two weeks to complete the background checks.

• 2

  Organize a selection committee. Include at least one person with a background in spiritual counseling, such as a priest or a professor of divinity studies. Include senior representatives of hospice management and medical staff.

• 3

  Decide whether you want a faith-neutral chaplaincy. Base this decision mainly on the composition of your patient population and the sponsoring organization.

• 4

  Prepare a job description. Chaplains often must have advanced degrees in theology or divinity studies and several years of pastoral or spiritual counseling experience, according to the U.S. Navy's Chaplain Care website. Ideally, you are looking for experience in a hospice or acute care setting. However, depending on the number of qualified applications, you might have to consider candidates with experience in military or prison settings.

• 5

  Advertise the position. Consult a recruitment professional for guidance on where and how to advertise.

• 6

  Track and review the resumes. Prepare a short list of four or five of the most qualified candidates.

• 7

  Discuss the interview process with the selection committee. Decide on a general list of areas to explore with the short-listed candidates. Conduct the interviews.

• 8

  Ask for a list of references and request permission to conduct background checks. Conduct these checks.

• 9

  Offer the job to your top choice. In most cases, this involves sending an offer letter and asking the candidate to accept or decline. Agree on a start date. Thank the unsuccessful short-listed candidates for participating in the process.

• 10

  Introduce the new chaplain to the hospice administrative and medical teams. Explain the various policies and procedures. Introduce her to the patients.