JobsAdvocate Health

Staff Chaplain

Advocate Health · Chicago, IL

Posted Sep 2, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Walk me through a time you sat with a family during an end-of-life situation. What did you actually do and say in the first few minutes?

whether the candidate has real bedside experience with dying patients and can offer concrete, calm presence rather than abstractions

Tell me about a time your own faith tradition's view on something clashed with what a patient or family needed spiritually. How did you handle it?

capacity to provide interfaith, patient-centered care rather than imposing personal beliefs

Tell me about a time you supported staff, not a patient, after a hard case or a death on the unit.

whether the candidate sees staff care as part of the job, not an afterthought

How do you approach a consult with a patient whose religion or culture you know very little about?

humility and skill in delivering interfaith care across Advocate's diverse patient population

Tell me about a time you were part of an interdisciplinary care planning meeting. What did you contribute that the medical team couldn't?

ability to function as a genuine team member in ethics and care planning discussions, not a peripheral visitor

Technical

Describe your CPE training and how it shaped the way you show up with patients now.

depth and integration of required clinical pastoral education, not just completion of units

Where are you in the board certification process with APC, NACC, or NAJC, and what's your plan to finish within 18 months of hire?

realistic timeline awareness and follow-through on a hard credentialing requirement

Tell me about your ecclesiastical endorsement and your current standing with your sponsoring faith community.

whether the endorsement is active and the candidate remains accountable to a faith body, a hard eligibility requirement

Situational

You get called to the ER at 3 a.m. for a sudden, unexpected death. The family is in the hallway, angry and in shock. What do you do first?

crisis triage instincts, safety awareness, and ability to de-escalate acute grief

A nurse pages you because a patient's family is refusing a treatment on religious grounds and the care team disagrees with the decision. What's your role in that room?

understanding of the chaplain's function in ethical conflict versus overstepping into medical decision-making

You're on call overnight covering multiple units and get two urgent pages at once, one a trauma arrival and one a family requesting last rites. How do you decide what happens first?

prioritization under pressure during solo overnight coverage

Describe a time a patient or family member became agitated or aggressive while you were with them. What did you do, and did you need to involve staff or security?

safety judgment and de-escalation skill in a setting where aggressive patients are a known risk

This role involves flexible overnight, weekend, and holiday on-call coverage. What has your experience with irregular chaplain schedules looked like, and how do you sustain yourself doing that kind of work?

realistic fit with the demanding, unpredictable schedule and self-awareness about burnout risk

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 11015 Advocate Aurora Health Corporate - Chaplain Services: Frontline Status: Part time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 20 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Various as needed. Pay Range: $28.55 - $42.85 We’re Looking For:   Licensure or Certifications   • 4 units of CPE, at least three accredited by ACPE • Eligible for board certification as a chaplain: APC/BCCI, NACC, NAJC; completed within 18 months of hire. • Ecclesiastical endorsement from his/her religious faith community.  Member in good standing with his/her sponsoring faith community. • Prior clinical experience as a chaplain: 1-3 years Degrees:   • BA or BS in an accredited college or university. • Master of Divinity or equivalent Master's program. If equivalency, a letter is required from a certification agency (APC, NACC, ACPE, NAJC) stating that the theological education standards for certification have been met. • Board certification obtained within 18 months of hire. Candidate for certification in Association of Professional Chaplains, National Association of Catholic Chaplains, or National Association of Jewish Chaplains.      Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Must be able to work flexible hours to accommodate 24-hour on-call coverage including evening and night shifts. • Ability to work designated shifts, weekends, and holidays. • May be exposed to hazardous materials and life-threatening diseases. • May be in contact with aggressive or agitated patients. • Knowledge of techniques to manage patients is a must. • May be involved in restraining patients. • Ability to work in a rapidly changing environment. • If position has direct patient care or direct patient contact the following lifting requirement supersedes any previous lifting requirement effective 06/01/2015. • Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance. • For patient lifts of over 35 pounds, or when patient is unable to assist with the lift, patient handling equipment is expected to be used, with at least one other associate, when available. Unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. As a Chaplain you will: • Provide comprehensive holistic spiritual care to patients, families, and healthcare staff, including counseling, crisis response, and sacramental support. • Assist during emergencies, guides families through illness and end‑of‑life processes and promote patient safety. • Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, participate in care planning, education, and ethical discussions, and supports staff through consultations and training. • Contributes to departmental operations, mentoring, and community outreach while upholding organizational values and maintaining active involvement in their faith community. What You’ll Do:   • Schedule:  Full time, 40 hours a week, Sun., Mon., Thurs., Fri., Sat., 12:00 AM — 8:30 AM About This Location:   Advocate Christ Medical Center is a prominent non-profit teaching hospital located in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Advocate Christ Medical Center serves as a major referral hospital in the Midwest for several specialties, including cardiovascular services; heart, lung and kidney transplantation; neurosciences; oncology; orthopedics; and women’s health. The hospital provides emergency care for more than 100,000 patient visits annually and has one of the busiest Level I trauma centers in Illinois, serving southern portions of Chicago and Cook County, all of Will County and regions as far south as Kankakee, Illinois, west to Morris, Illinois and east to Northwest Indiana.  Numerous national organizations have recognized Advocate Christ Medical Center for the safe and quality care we provide. Your feedback matters.  Every teammate’s voice is vital in shaping our culture and improving care. We value your insights and experiences because they help us grow stronger together.    Physical Requirements and Working Conditions   • May be exposed to blood and body fluids; therefore, personal protective equipment must be worn as necessary. • Availability and transportation to serve on-call rotation as needed. • Must be able to sit, stand, walk, and bend throughout the workday. • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.   Ready to Take the Next Step:   Apply Now!  This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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