900. Subspecialty Certifications
Recognizing the development of specialized areas, or subspecialties, within clinical chaplaincy, CPSP certifies members’ qualification for service in the following clinical subspecialties.
910. Hospice and Palliative Care
910.1 Competencies in Hospice and Palliative Care Subspecialty
The candidate for certification must provide evidence for having competence in the theory and practice of pastoral care in hospice and/or palliative care settings, as follows:
910.1.1 Demonstrated understanding of the nature, scope, and process of care delivery within the subspecialty of hospice and palliative care.
910.1.2 Demonstrated understanding of the process for identifying clients for whom pastoral care with regard to hospice and palliative care is appropriate.
910.1.3 Demonstrated understanding of rights and responsibilities of hospice and palliative care client and family.
910.1.4 Demonstrated understanding of and participation in the team process for involving clients and family in decision making, including exploring treatment options, making end of life decisions, completing advance directives, and the role of surrogate decision makers.
910.1.5 Demonstrated ability to facilitate communication between members of the care team and the client/family, especially during client/family conferences.
910.1.6 Demonstrated understanding of and ability to assess the client’s and family’s values and beliefs, and religious, spiritual, and cultural practices, along with the ability to incorporate these into the care plan.
910.1.7 Demonstrated understanding of and participation in the interdisciplinary care team, including ongoing evaluation of the care plan, integration of pastoral care into it, along with adapting the care plan to the changes in the spiritual, cultural, pastoral, and religious needs of the client and family.

910.1.8 Demonstrated ability to facilitate the participation of the client’s and family’s faith group.
910.1.9 Demonstrated understanding of and the ability to facilitate the bereavement support and follow-up process, along with the knowledge of appropriate referral resources.
910.1.10 Demonstrated basic, minimum understanding of the dying process, along with symptom and pain management goals and methods.
910.1.11 Demonstrated understanding of the psychological, social, and emotional aspects of the disease process, the dying process, and the process of coping with pain, along with the ability to integrate these concepts into the plan of care as it relates to providing pastoral care.
910.1.12 Demonstrated understanding of information keeping procedures including privacy and security of health information, completeness and accuracy of record keeping, and continuity of information across the palliative care or hospice team.