Spiritual Care Practitioner

Spiritual Care Practitioner

• Permanent Part Time opportunities
• Join a values based health organization
• Monday to Friday hours

There are two opportunities for permanent part-time work as follows;

 1 x Angliss Hospital: 12 hours per week over three days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

 1 x Box Hill Hospital: 15 hours per week over three days (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

About the role

This role sits within the Eastern Health Spiritual Care Service Department and involves working with people of all ages, any or no faith tradition and all walks of life. Primarily it assists and elicits people to connect with whatever it is that gives them meaning, purpose and social connectivity. This role is an opportunity to make a difference to those who are vulnerable and are presented with complex health challenges. Each time you arrive at work your day will be different and full of complex variety.

As a self-motivated individual, you have a work history of experience combined with qualifications in spiritual-pastoral care. The majority of your time will be spent by the bedside supporting inpatients, primary carers, family members, consumers and staff. You will do this through empathic compassionate active listening, being attentive to the individuals needs as they present within the spiritual-pastoral context and scope of practice.

Working collaboratively within the interdisciplinary teams, you are a sole practitioner on site which presents its own challenges. You are supported by the broader Eastern Health spiritual –pastoral care team of which you become a valued and respected member. An ongoing part of this role is the continual promotion and education of the profession to the greater health care team about your work, and what it is that you bring to the patients holistic wellbeing outcomes.

The service is supported (COVID pending) by a team of Faith Community Volunteers whom you will coordinate. Arranging and leading public ceremonies, services, memorials and mindfulness meditations will come naturally to you. 

This work exposes you to vulnerable people’s emotions at a spiritual level and how these feelings affect their holistic wellbeing. You have capacity and are comfortable to sit with death and dying and holding those in grief and loss.

About you 

To be successful in this role you will possesses:

• Minimum of 1-year employment experience in this field, in an acute hospital setting
• 2 x C.P.E. Units
• B.Theol, or a social science degree as agreed to by Director
• Highly developed interpersonal skills and excellent relationship building ability
• A strong commitment to high quality patient care
• Experience in leading ceremonies, services and mindfulness meditation
• The ability to work as a sole practitioner on site and as part of a interdisciplinary team
• Capacity to support dying patients and their grieving loved ones
• Excellent communication, organisational, administration and computer skills
• Ability to work with all consumers of faith and of none
• Facilitate external faith volunteers to support and complement service delivery

To be successful in this role you need to practise work life balance through individual self-care strategies, tools, therapies and practices. Eastern Health promotes employee wellbeing and self-care and requires you to have regular external supervision. 

Please refer to the attached position description for further details of the role.

Vaccination against infectious disease is a mandatory requirement of this role.  An offer of employment is conditional on you providing evidence that you are currently vaccinated against COVID-19 and Influenza, prior to commencing employment.

What we offer

Eastern Health offers a variety of fantastic Employee Benefits, view the extensive range here!

• Diverse and engaging career opportunities
• Friendly & supportive team
• Flexible working hours
• Salary packaging options
• Career progression in our teaching hospitals 

Next Steps

If you believe you have the ability to make a difference in this rewarding industry, apply today!

Please note: 

• All applications must be submitted online via E-Mercury
• All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory Fit2Work Check, where preferred candidates will be required to complete a Criminal History Check at the expense of Eastern Health.
• You must have Australian work rights to apply for this position.
• Recruitment agency applications will not be accepted.

Eastern Health Values:  Patients First | Agility | Humility | Respect | Kindness | Excellence

**Please note applications will be screened upon receipt and advertising may close prior to the closing date.**