The Clinical Ethicist is an active member of the ethics program at Wellstar Health System performing clinical ethics consultation, ethics education and ethics policy development and review. The Ethics Program enjoys robust institutional support and is looking to become a leader in the field of clinical, organizational and research ethics. The health system is creating a fully integrated, collaborative approach to addressing ethical issues and the clinical ethicist is key to developing this initiative. The individual reports directly to the Executive Director for Medical and Organizational Ethics and has an essential role in the Ethics Program.
Responsibilities
Core Responsibilites and Essential Functions
Ethics Committees * Serves as a member and expert advisor to local Ethics Committees. * Works on expanding knowledge base and functions of local ethics committees. * In conjunction with ethics committee co-chairs, represents ethics committee on system organizational ethics committee. * Works to standardize ethics procedures within local facilities and across the health system. * Engages in quality improvement activities to reduce ethics quality gaps, including development and evaluation of clinical ethics initiatives and materials. * Assists in developing ethical framework for organization * Designs and develops evaluation tools or approaches to evaluate ethics programs and ethics practices within Wellstar Health System.
Ethics Policy Development and Revision * Reviews and revises system policies and guidelines as it relates to Ethics Program. * Assures local and system compliance with accreditation and agency standards pertaining to clinical ethics, organizational and research ethics
Ethics Education * Planning, delivery and evaluation of ethics education for health care providers, residents, students and community. * Develops and implements education materials for ethics committee members * Helps develop innovative approaches to distance learning, including website, and online strategies to enhance and/or supplement more conventional or traditional learning styles/opportunities. * Contributes to ethics educational efforts, including on-site formal an informal presentations, regional and local guided discussions, conference planning, and the preparation of presentations, written materials, training tools and webinars. * Development and implementation of ethics curricula for the full range of clinical and non-clinical employees. * Contribute to the education and development of ethics research assistants, interns and fellows.
Ethics Research and Research Ethics * Conduct collaborative and independent ethics scholarship with dissemination of work through publication and presentations. * Develops, Implements and evaluates the Ethics Assessment Survey, including administration, modifications, question development and testing, validation of findings, comparisons to other health system data, and evaluation of results.
Ethics Consultation * Responds to health system ethics consultation requests and conducts individual ethics consults and facilitates team consults. * Analyzes and improves ethics consultation methods * Works closely with the healthcare team at his or her facility to familiarize them with the consult service and to build trust * Develops and implements bedside "ethics rounding" within health system. * Provide ongoing training, education and evaluation of consult service members. * Provide ethics consultation reports to the local ethics committee, health system, organizational ethics committee and medical executive committee. * Develop and attend ethics case review meetings every other week and prepare literature for review. * Maintain case records, documentation of case consults in patient medical record and ethics consultation database. * Participate in ethics consultation service night and weekend coverage. * Assists in the development of ethics consultation services within Wellstar Health System
Required for All Jobs
Performs other duties as assigned
Complies with all WellStar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.
Qualifications
Required Minimum Education
Graduate of an accredited undergraduate university/college Required and
Master's Degree in applicable field, e.g., ethics, law, social work, theology. Required
Required Minimum Experience
Experience: One (1) to three (3) years of experience working in a health care setting or system; Required and
prior work performing clinical ethics consultation, education and policy development Preferred and
Five (5) years or more performing clinical ethics consultation Preferred
Required Minimum Skills
Demonstrated knowledge of principles, concepts and methods involved in clinical ethics and clinical ethics consultation
Intermediate computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
Must have excellent communication skills and be able to interact with all stakeholders in the health system.
Must be able to work with patients and their families in a respectful and collaborative manner.
Demonstrated experience in delivering ethics education programming.
Ability to travel to outpatient facilities within WellStar service area in various locations and work environments.
Skilled in project management and team facilitation.
The candidate must have strong commitment to the professionalization of clinical ethics
