Chaplain

Location: Boone, North Carolina | PRN

Department: Spiritual Services

Compensation: Starts at $23.09/hour, based on experience, education, and internal equity.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

As a Chaplain at UNC Health Appalachian, you will provide meaningful spiritual care to patients, families, and team members during some of life’s most vulnerable moments. You will serve in a mission-driven health system dedicated to compassion, dignity, and holistic healing across our community hospitals.

You’ll work in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, where community, purpose, and natural beauty come together.

What You’ll Do as a Chaplain

• Respond to calls from the hospital during assigned shifts (verbal response within 10 minutes; in-person within 30 minutes).

• Provide spiritual and emotional support, crisis intervention, and religious rituals based on professional assessment and patient/family needs.

• Offer compassionate support to staff, volunteers, patients, and families.

• Document assessments, interventions, and outcomes in the medical record per policy.

• Demonstrate respect and sensitivity toward all faith traditions and those with no faith tradition, including advocacy for minority belief systems.

• Request support from peers, supervisor, or nursing colleagues when needed to ensure continuity of care.

• Integrate professional knowledge and skills with effective communication for every encounter.

• Communicate clearly and respectfully with patients, families, visitors, colleagues, and leadership.

• Deliver care aligned with UNC Health Appalachian’s mission, vision, and values — emphasizing compassion, safety, quality, and personal accountability.

• Maintain professional conduct and contribute to a healthy work environment.

• Respond quickly and accurately to emergencies.

• Assist coworkers, patients, families, and visitors whenever appropriate and within scope.

Qualifications

Education

• Master’s Degree in Divinity or related field preferred.

• At least one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) preferred.

• Ordination preferred.

Experience

• Minimum one (1) year of pastoral care experience in a healthcare setting preferred.

Licensure / Certification

• Board Certification through the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) preferred, but not required.

• If board-certified, employee must maintain certification annually.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Understanding of the chaplain’s role within a healthcare environment.

• Sensitivity and respect toward all religions, belief systems, and cultural backgrounds.

• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.

• Capacity to remain calm during crisis or high-stress situations.

• Ability to provide a compassionate, non-judgmental presence across diverse racial, ethnic, faith, class, and lifestyle backgrounds.

Physical Demands

• Manual dexterity and mobility required.

• Prolonged periods of sitting and intermittent standing/walking.

• Bending, squatting, twisting, and turning.

• Ability to see clearly at 20 inches or less (near acuity).

Working Conditions

• Exposure to blood-borne pathogens and hazardous chemicals/equipment.

• Subject to irregular hours (days, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays) and emergency call-ins.

• Walking/standing >7 hours per shift.

• Speaking, reading, and writing >8 hours per day.

• Infrequently lifts, carries, pushes, or pulls >30 lbs.

• Frequent bending, squatting, kneeling, twisting, reaching, and hand/wrist repetition.

• Frequent exposure to soft voice communication (within 3 feet) and close-up eye work.

About UNC Health Appalachian
UNC Health Appalachian, the leader for healthcare in the High Country, comprises three hospitals, 13 medical practices, Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, The Rehabilitation Center, and Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation. UNC Health Appalachian is dedicated to promoting health in the High Country, enhancing quality of life, and “making life better.”

About UNC Health
UNC Health is a state entity and an affiliate of the University of North Carolina system, with 14 hospitals, 18 hospital campuses, and more than 500 clinics plus the UNC School of Medicine’s clinical programs. UNC Health is committed to improving the health of North Carolinians and supports the university’s teaching mission. Over the past three years, UNC Health has provided over $400 million in uncompensated or charity care. For more information, visit unchealth.org.

UNC Health Appalachian values diversity and inclusion and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and experiences and are committed to a fair, respectful hiring process. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background and drug screen.

For accommodations or additional information, contact recruitment@apprhs.org.

Salary : $23