Advocate South Suburban Hospital Clinical Pastoral Education program
Description of setting
Advocate South Suburban Hospital is a 291 bed, not-for-profit, acute care, community hospital located in one of Chicago's southern suburbs, Hazel Crest, Illinois. As a member of the Advocate Health Care System, Advocate South Suburban provides a wide range of comprehensive inpatient services for medical/surgical, cardiac, obstetric, pediatric, orthopedic, oncology and diabetes care.
Included in these inpatient health care services is a 20-bed intensive care unit, a 46-bed skilled nursing center which provides a subacute "bridge" for patients who are being released from acute care but who are not quite well enough to go home or to a custodial nursing facility, and a state of the art emergency department. The hospital also provides outpatient, diagnostic and ambulatory medical services, as well as operates numerous and varied support groups and educational programs which serve thousands of area residents.
Population served
The patient population is multicultural and multiracial including people with roots in Africa, Europe, India, Latin America and the Middle East. The surrounding neighborhoods and communities are among the most well integrated communities in Chicagoland.
Description of pastoral care department
The department currently includes a Vice President of Mission and Spiritual Care, two full-time associate chaplins, six on-call Pastoral Care Associates, and Spiritual Care Visitors who together provide 24 hours of pastoral care coverage for patients, families, physicians and staff. Chaplains are also clinically and organizationally active in Mission, Values and Philosophy integration, ethical decision making and ethics policy development and congregational health partnering.
Unique educational elements
Advocate South Suburban offers an 11-week Intensive Summer CPE program. Between September and May part-time extended programs are offered and are scheduled to meet the needs of participants. Clinical opportunities will involve providing pastoral care in assigned areas of the hospital as well as on-call responsibilities.
Pertinent information for applicants
A non-refundable deposit, applicable to fees, is required to hold a place in any program when the applicant is offered a position.
Students may not begin a program until they have complied with the mandated pre-employment physical exam, drug screening and criminal record background check.
For more information
Rev. Danielle Buhuro
Mission and Spiritual Care
Advocate South Suburban Hospital
TieLine: 46.5887
Phone: 708-213-5887
Fax: 708-213-5817
Email: danielle.buhuro@aah.org