Clinical Ethicist

The Clinical Ethicist contributes to initiatives that support the continuing evolution of integrated ethics programming at Children’s Health System of Texas (CHST). The incumbent is responsible for collaborating with the Program Director for Integrated Ethics and other members of the Integrated Ethics department in developing and implementing strategies aimed at enhancing the ethical climate of Children’s Health, promoting the moral agency of team members, and effectively strengthening CHST’s moral community. The incumbent works closely with the Program Director for Integrated Ethics to lead and/or facilitate initiatives related to clinical ethics, moral distress, and preventive ethics system wide.

Responsibilities
* Supports the continued development, implementation, and sustainability of comprehensive integrated ethics programming to strengthen CHST’s moral community and enhance the ethical climate of Children’s Health.
* Serves as a member of the Children’s Health Institutional Ethics Committee and the Children’s Health Ethics Consultation Service. Provides ethics consultation and organizes and participates in clinical ethics rounds.
* Demonstrates strong meeting facilitation skills and excellent interpersonal, organizational, oral and written communication skills in the mediation of moral disagreements or concerns and the development of consensus, compromise, or other ethically acceptable resolutions. Exhibits a tolerance for ambiguity and an understanding of clinical processes.
* Employs sensitivity in speaking with parents/caregivers, patients, team members, and others in discussing ethical decisions regarding life sustaining treatment, dying and death, disclosure of bad news, participation in research, organ donation and transplantation, and other matters often involving conflicting interests and values. Fosters collaborative communication with others of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and world views amidst stressful and highly charged circumstances.
* Provides team member education related to clinical ethics and preventive ethics. Teaches related curricula to the multidisciplinary team, clinical trainees, leadership, and the professional community at large.
* Acts as an integrated ethics resource and subject matter expert for multidisciplinary team members.
* Participates in the development, review, and revision of hospital policies with ethical import.
* Collects data, including trends, issues, and outcome data, for ethics consultation and moral distress consultation services. Identifies opportunities and partners with members and leaders of clinical teams/units in performance improvement and/or quality improvement activities related to clinical ethics and moral distress.
* Demonstrates the ability to initiate, prioritize, and manage multiple simultaneous projects, effectively collaborating with a range of stakeholders across departmental lines of authority and accountability and under pressure to meet deadlines.
* Maintains professional mastery in pediatric bioethics, clinical ethics consultation, and moral distress consultation through continuing education and professional development. Contributes to scholarly initiatives related to clinical ethics and moral distress and stays abreast of pertinent literature and developments that may inform integrated ethics-related work at Children’s Health.