Hospice Chaplain – Hillcrest Hospice Care
Location: Council Bluffs, IowaService Line: Hillcrest Hospice CareSchedule: Part-time
Hillcrest Health & Living is looking for a compassionate, thoughtful, and relationship-focused Hospice Chaplain to join our Hillcrest Hospice Care team serving patients and families in Iowa.
Hospice care is about caring for the whole person. As a Hospice Chaplain, you will provide spiritual, emotional, and bereavement support to patients and families as they navigate end-of-life care. You will meet people where they are, respect their individual beliefs and preferences, and provide a calm, supportive presence during some of life’s most meaningful moments.
At Hillcrest, our mission is simple: Inspiring people to live their best lives. In hospice care, that means helping patients live each day with dignity, comfort, meaning, and connection while supporting the people who love them.
What You’ll Do
As a Hospice Chaplain, you will work closely with patients, families, caregivers, and the interdisciplinary hospice team to provide individualized spiritual and emotional support.
You will:
Provide pastoral, spiritual, emotional, and bereavement support to hospice patients.
Provide guidance and support to family members and caregivers throughout the hospice journey.
Assess spiritual needs and incorporate those needs into the individualized plan of care.
Respect and support each patient’s personal beliefs, values, traditions, and preferences.
Respond to referrals and help families understand hospice services.
Assist with hospice informational visits and the consent process for new patients as appropriate.
Complete assessments, progress notes, care plans, social histories, and other required documentation accurately and on time.
Participate actively in care planning and case conferences.
Collaborate with nurses, social workers, physicians, aides, and other interdisciplinary team members.
Identify and communicate spiritual or emotional concerns that may affect the patient or family.
Coordinate support with outside clergy, faith leaders, or other spiritual resources when appropriate.
Provide prayer, worship, or other spiritual services based on patient and family wishes.
Assist with or officiate funeral and memorial services when requested.
Provide education and consultation to team members and community partners.
Build positive relationships with healthcare providers, community organizations, and other resources supporting hospice patients.
Participate in required team meetings and contribute to the coordination of patient and family care.
What We’re Looking For
We are looking for someone who understands that spiritual care is deeply personal.
The right candidate will know how to listen first, provide support without imposing personal beliefs, and create space for patients and families to process grief, fear, meaning, relationships, and end-of-life concerns in their own way.
This role requires emotional maturity, compassion, flexibility, and the ability to remain steady when families are experiencing difficult moments.
Ideal candidates will have:
A compassionate and nonjudgmental approach to spiritual care.
Strong listening and relationship-building skills.
Comfort supporting patients and families experiencing death, dying, grief, and loss.
Ability to support individuals from a variety of spiritual, religious, and cultural backgrounds.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to work independently while remaining closely connected to an interdisciplinary team.
Strong organization and documentation skills.
Ability to remain calm and supportive during emotional or stressful situations.
Strong professional boundaries and respect for patient choice.
Ability to collaborate with community clergy and spiritual resources.
A genuine desire to support patients and families through the hospice journey.
Education & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Theology, Religious Studies, or a similar field required.
Master’s…