At Houston Methodist, the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Certified Educator position is responsible for working with management on the development and implementation of curriculum for the CPE programs, facilitating the various CPE units/courses in pastoral care, demonstrating mastery of the process model of education and addressing students' resistance to learning. This position establishes a clear philosophy, theory, and overarching goals that guide curriculum and assesses and responds to student needs independently and accurately, ensuring content and deliverables continue to satisfy requirements necessary to maintain accreditation by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). Under supervision of the Educator CPE and/or Manager CPE, this position performs activities towards the fulfillment of certification requirements to include facilitating and teaching CPE courses, participating in curriculum development, and providing individual and group student supervision. This position provides clinical supervision to CPE students (Residents, Interns, Student Educators) as they provide spiritual care to meet the spiritual, religious, and emotional needs of patients, families, and employees. The CPE Certified Educator position assists leadership in carrying out the Houston Methodist mission, vision, and values, participating in activities in these efforts.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Fosters and contributes to a dynamic, team-focused work unit that helps to achieve optimal results. Provides support and information as a consultant in professional and educational contexts for Houston Methodist CPE students, collaborating and communicating in a non-judgmental manner. Models and teaches how to provide care respectfully, compassionately, and supportively Implements, facilitates, and instructs others using appropriate teaching interventions.

• Chooses appropriately from a range of theoretically informed relational interventions when engaging individuals and groups. Builds interdisciplinary/inter-professional alliances for educational collaboration across diverse contexts. Sustains relationships to local and national leadership structures for collegiality and program enhancement.

• Exhibits the regular use of supervision and peer relationships for support, clarification, and challenge in the practice and development of the art of supervised education. Provides group and individual supervision and mentoring of CPE students as they provide spiritual care support to patients, family members, and employees on assigned clinical units, when on call, when participating in patient rounds, discharge planning, support groups, sacred story groups and other interprofessional teams.

• Participates in the CPE admissions and hiring process and, in cooperation with the Director/Manager, makes the final selection of students for the respective CPE programs. Shows mastery and ownership of assessment and interviewing tools appropriate to a variety of people, learning styles, and cultural/spiritual differences.

• Exhibits and demonstrates healthy work relationships such as mitigation of conflict, leading problem-solving and resolution efforts. Facilitates dialogue and conflict resolution by attending to content and process of communication Implements initiatives to improve department scores for employee engagement.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Facilitates the various CPE units/courses in pastoral care, demonstrating mastery of the process model of education and addresses students' resistance to learning. Establishes a clear philosophy, theory, and overarching goals that guide curriculum. Assesses and responds to student needs independently and accurately. Uses diverse didactic learning strategies and accommodates developmental and individual learning needs in multiple settings. Promotes and integrates interdisciplinary learning in the curriculum.

• Coordinates 24-hour on-call coverage by the CPE students to ensure balance and meeting the needs of spiritual care coverage while also facilitating the learning of students. Teaches others to reflect theologically in the practice of care.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assists management in maintaining the ACPE accreditation of the CPE programs. Creates educational environments that facilitate learners' reflection on and integration of their personal and professional values into the practice of spiritual care. Demonstrates the necessary knowledge of and readiness to assume responsibility for maintaining Accreditation. Uses feedback to evaluate achievement of the program's goals and objectives; identifies best practices and continuous improvement through curriculum revisions as needed. Creates and/or utilizes quality assessment tools that assure the ongoing improvement of the CPE program; implements and documents resulting changes.

• Develops students' training to become ACPE certified Educator, supervising performance during fulfillment of activities and job duties required for certification. Communicates results in written and verbal form clearly, constructively, and accurately in a conceptually appropriate manner.

• Integrates the clinical method of learning with the overall educational process and demonstrates the ability to guide students in their own learning trajectory. Ensures the accuracy and thoroughness of documentation performed by students in patient records.

• Engages in broader context to understand and safeguard the welfare of others. Consults with physicians, clinical management, hospital leadership and staff to assess quality and safety of services provided by CPE students. Implements opportunities for corrective action and improvement, contributing to achievement of hospital and department targets for quality and safety.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks to achieve maximum results in a timely manner. Utilizes time efficiently, demonstrating responsible financial stewardship, and proactively helps other team members.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Plans and leads various department and/or hospital-wide activities such as, but not limited to worship services, I CARE values integration, accreditation readiness, bioethics, etc. Articulates and uses research outcomes in education. Assists with special projects and serves on various hospital committees as identified.

• Successfully designs and implements a unit of CPE at Level I or Level II or in a mixed Level I and Level II group. Articulates a well-formed theory of supervised education for the teaching/learning of pastoral/spiritual care in individuals and groups. Draws upon varied organizational resources within the educational context to enhance programming.

• Consistently uses and demonstrates self-care/spiritual care/wellness practices. Seeks opportunities to expand competencies in facilitation/teaching skills supervising and leadership skills, with a focus on continual development. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an on-going basis.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Master's degree in theological studies from an institution accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or equivalency approved by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC and only if prior to 2017), National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC), Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC), Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC), Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), or Spiritual Care Association (SCA)

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Served as CPE Certified Educator Phase II

• Experience as a professional chaplain preferred

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• Chaplain - Clinical Pastoral Educator (ACPE)

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - PREFERRED

• Chaplain - Board Certified Chaplain (BCCI) -- Board Certified Chaplain (BCC)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Endorsed for chaplaincy by a recognized endorsing body

• Demonstrates emotional and spiritual maturity in educational practice

• Possesses strong computer knowledge; operates various computer systems to enter and maintain patient documents

• Ability to work independently; capable of effectively handling challenging/difficult interactions, patient care situations; demonstrates sound judgment and executes above average communication skills

• Exhibits strong interpersonal and team player skills with all levels of the healthcare team

• Adapts to multiple ongoing priorities with minimal supervision including organizing workflow and actively participating in problem-solving

• Very strong organization skills and detail-oriented nature

• Professional handling of exposure to confidential/sensitive information

• Demonstrates emotional & spiritual maturity in educational practice

• Demonstrates depth in the use of behavioral sciences for supervision/education

• Demonstrates facility in articulating and applying educational and personality theories to educational practice

• Applies a theological/philosophical framework for spiritual care and clinical pastoral education

• Demonstrates initiative and programmatic accountability in adhering to ACPE Standards

• Demonstrates knowledge of administrative functions within a defined organizational context, including budget management, delegation of responsibilities, and daily functioning of workspace

• Applies knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding dimensions of diversity to professional work

• Recognizes the impact of the psychological dynamics of projection, parallel process, and differentiation on the educational process

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Since its founding in 1919, Houston Methodist Hospital has earned worldwide recognition. Houston Methodist Hospital is affiliated with the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, one of the nation's leading centers for medical education and research.  In 2020, U.S. News & World Report named Houston Methodist Hospital to its top ranked Honor Roll for the fourth time and second consecutive year. 2020 also marked the ninth year in a row Houston Methodist Hospital has been named the No. 1 hospital in Texas. Houston Methodist Hospital directs millions of research dollars into patient care and offers the latest innovations in medical, surgical and diagnostic techniques. With 952 operating beds, 85 operating rooms and over 8,000 employees, Houston Methodist offers complete care for patients from around the world.

 

The same high-quality care for which Houston Methodist is known is available at several Emergency Care Centers in Houston and the surrounding areas.  These Emergency Care Centers house exam rooms, full digital radiography suite, low radiation dose 16-slice CT scan, ultrasound and a full on-site stat chemistry lab.