The Transforming Chaplaincy Certificate of Completion in Spiritual Care Management and Leadership is a direct response to the professional needs and wishes of chaplains and patient experience leaders in healthcare settings across the country. One-on-one patient service is only half of the chaplain’s overall work experience; the other half is how the chaplain fits into the interdisciplinary medical team and the administrative structure of the system.

“This program builds on Transforming Chaplaincy’s landmark contributions to spiritual care. Participants will be more effective in demonstrating the advantages of research-informed spiritual care and help institutions advance their missions through even greater attention to patient needs.
-Timm Glover, former SVP Mission Integration, Ascension Healthcare

 

“Chaplains must be able to articulate their value to their healthcare leaders and demonstrate why spiritual care is an essential component of quality patient care services. Transforming Chaplaincy’s training in Spiritual Care Management will ensure they can do just that.”
-Dr. Ronald Oliver, past president, APC

 

“I’m so gratified to see Transforming Chaplaincy take the lead in training spiritual care managers. Our educators know that patient interaction is only one part of the job: navigating institutional frameworks and advocating for spiritual care is an absolute must.”
-Rev. Amy Greene, Former Board Chair, ACPE
Decorative image
Teaching Assistant (TA) for the Transforming Chaplaincy Certificate Program in Spiritual Care Management and Leadership

Job Title: Teaching Assistant – Transforming Chaplaincy Certificate Program

Location: Rush University, Chicago (primarily remote online and in-person for the Capstone seminar at the end of the course)

Position Summary: The Teaching Assistant (TA) for the Transforming Chaplaincy Certificate Program in Spiritual Care Management and Leadership will play a pivotal role in supporting the course director and faculty and facilitating the effective operation of the program. The TA will be instrumental in managing online and in-person components, engaging with students, and ensuring a seamless educational experience. The Teaching Assistant is responsible for overseeing course logistics and maintaining up-to-date course materials on the learning platform. The role involves coordinating with faculty and presenters to ensure smooth operation of both online and in-person sessions, engaging in effective communication with participants for course-related information and support, and handling technical aspects of virtual sessions. Additionally, the TA assists in organizing key components of the in-person Capstone seminar.

Please read the job details below.

To apply, please send your resume and a letter of interest to Csaba Szilagyi.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Support structured activities and facilitate asynchronous small group learning within Mighty Networks, including setting up group spaces and implementing activities as directed by course instructors.
  • Engage with students to identify their learning needs and collaborate with faculty to source and provide relevant supplementary materials.
  • Facilitate communication and collaboration among students in online learning communities, conducting bi-monthly check-ins and encouraging peer interaction.
  • Handle administrative and organizational tasks, including course scheduling, material management, and coordination with faculty and presenters.
  • Prepare for the course by joining team meetings, collaborating with relevant personnel, setting up the Mighty Networks course page, and assisting with participant communication.
  • Manage post-course activities, including preparing summaries of course evaluations, distributing certificates, and administering post-course evaluations.

Qualifications and Skills:

  • Familiarity with online learning platforms, particularly Mighty Networks.
  • Experience with virtual meeting software, especially Zoom.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft 365 Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
  • Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
  • Ability to take initiative and work proactively in supporting course-related tasks.
  • Capability to collaborate efficiently with personnel from Rush University and CommonSpirit Health.

Organizational Structure

The Teaching Assistant will collaborate effectively with the Senior Project Coordinator for Transforming Chaplaincy at Rush University and the Executive Coordinator at CommonSpirit Health to manage course-related scheduling and workload for the instructor. The TA will serve as a liaison between the instructor and both organizations, handling routine course-related communications and maintaining clear, consistent contact with the Senior Project Coordinator and the Executive Coordinator.

Specific Course Responsibilities

Pre-Course Responsibilities:

  • Join course team calls for planning and brainstorming.
  • Collaborate with relevant personnel for participant registration and distribution of reading materials.
  • Set up the Mighty Networks course page, post welcome messages, and ensure all participants are added.
  • Work on maximizing Mighty Networks to facilitate small group work, including creating group spaces and organizing initial activities.
  • Collaborate with instructors to send welcome emails and information to course participants.
  • If necessary, conduct a trial run of a Zoom session/recording prior to the first course session.

During-Course Responsibilities:

  • Support structured activities and facilitate asynchronous small group learning within Mighty Networks.
  • Actively engage with students to identify their learning needs, collaborating with faculty to source relevant supplementary materials.
  • Facilitate communication and collaboration among students, conducting bi-monthly check-ins and encouraging peer interaction.
  • Manage administrative tasks, including course scheduling, material management, and coordination with faculty and presenters.
  • Provide technical support during virtual sessions, including managing Zoom logistics and monitoring chat.
  • Coordinate with guest speakers to manage their schedules, secure logistics for their presentations, including organizing slides, reading materials, Zoom information, and contact details.

Post-Course Responsibilities:

  • Assist in setting up and facilitating the course evaluation focus group, including recording the session and generating a transcript.
  • Submit a comprehensive summary report of the focus group along with the original transcript to the course instructor.
  • Manage the distribution of certificates to all participants, ensuring receipt, especially for those attending virtually.
  • Administer and analyze pre-course, mid-course, and post-course evaluations, providing insights for future course improvements.

In partnership with Rush University’s nationally-ranked Department of Health Systems Management, Transforming Chaplaincy will offer its Certificate in Spiritual Care Management and Leadership in 2024.  Featuring faculty who are recognized leaders in health management and patient experience.  For 2024 the Certificate will begin in September with a 4 day virtual Kickoff Seminar and end with a 3 day in person Capstone Seminar in May, 2025 at Rush University in Chicago, with online classes in the interim.  Further information can be found here.  The program is designed to provide current and future spiritual care managers with the knowledge and experience needed to lead dynamic and effective spiritual care programs in a rapidly changing health care environment.  The Transforming Chaplaincy Certificate of Completion in Spiritual Care Management and Leadership is a direct response to the professional needs and wishes of chaplains and patient experience leaders in healthcare settings across the country. Participants who complete the course will receive 45 contact hours and be prepared not only in interpersonal effectiveness but also the ability to manage spiritual care services within complex healthcare systems.

 

Competencies covered include:

  • Strategic Orientation

  • Business Literacy – Financial Skills

  • Human Resource Management

  • Community Health Impact

  • Process and Quality Improvement

           and more.