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By Rev. Paulette A. McPherson, MDiv, DMin(c), BCC

Training and Courses for Healthcare Chaplains

Learn the PEACE Model. Document Like a Clinician.

Most chaplaincy training teaches you how to be present with patients. It does not teach you how to document that presence in a way that satisfies your hospital’s clinical standards, holds up under Joint Commission scrutiny, or communicates your work to the interdisciplinary care team.

That is the gap these courses fill.

All courses and programs offered through The Practical Chaplain are built around the PEACE Spiritual Assessment Model, the domain-based clinical framework for chaplaincy assessment and documentation developed by Rev. Paulette A. McPherson, MDiv, DMin(c), BCC.

Coming Soon

The PEACE Model: Clinical Documentation for Hospital Chaplains

The first course built specifically to teach chaplains how to document their clinical work to hospital standards. This self-paced course walks you through the full PEACE framework from the ground up: how to conduct a PEACE-based spiritual assessment, how to write a complete PEACE clinical note, and how to adapt the documentation format to your hospital’s EHR, whether you’re working in Epic, Cerner, Meditech, or a standalone form system.

What you will learn

  • How the PEACE model differs from FICA, HOPE, and other screening tools, and why the distinction matters clinically

  • How to conduct a comprehensive spiritual assessment using the five PEACE domains

  • How to translate the assessment encounter into a structured clinical note

  • How to adapt the PEACE template to your hospital’s EHR using SmartPhrases, dot-phrases, or custom documentation forms

  • How to document spiritual distress, advance directive conversations, and ethics concerns in language the care team can act on

  • How PEACE satisfies Joint Commission documentation requirements under RC.02.02.01 and PC.01.02.01

Who this is for

  • Working hospital chaplains who want a structured, clinically credible documentation framework

  • New chaplains in their first hospital position building foundational clinical documentation skills

  • CPE students preparing for clinical rotations and residencies

  • Chaplaincy directors standardizing documentation practices across their department

Be the First to Know

The PEACE Model Course launches soon.

Enter your details below to be notified when enrollment opens, and to receive early access and a launch discount.

We’ll only use your email to notify you about the course launch. No spam.

The Full Course Lineup

Three courses. One framework.

The PEACE documentation course is the first of three individual courses planned for launch this year. Here is the full roadmap.

Course 1, Coming Soon

The PEACE Model: Clinical Documentation for Hospital Chaplains

$147 | Self-paced

The flagship course. Full PEACE model training, clinical note writing, and EHR integration.

Course 2, Coming Soon

Joint Commission Compliance for Chaplaincy Departments

$147 | Self-paced

Survey readiness for chaplains and chaplaincy directors. Covers the relevant standards, what surveyors look for, how to write a department scope of service, and how to build an audit-ready documentation trail using PEACE.

Designed for

​

Chaplaincy directors facing an upcoming Joint Commission survey, new directors building their department’s compliance infrastructure, and hospital administrators responsible for spiritual care compliance.

Course 3, Coming Soon

Palliative Care Chaplaincy Documentation

$97 | Self-paced

A specialized application of the PEACE model in palliative care, ICU, and oncology settings. Covers goals-of-care documentation, end-of-life spiritual care, the Ethics domain in depth, and family dynamics in the palliative care context.

Designed for

​

Chaplains working primarily in palliative care, oncology, ICU, or geriatric settings where end-of-life documentation is a core part of the role.

Bundle

All Three Courses: Bundle Pricing

$297, Save $44 when you enroll in all three

The complete clinical documentation curriculum for hospital chaplains. Covers the PEACE model, Joint Commission compliance, and palliative care documentation in one package.

Department & Institutional Programs

For hospitals and chaplaincy teams.

For hospitals and chaplaincy departments implementing PEACE across a team, two structured programs are available.

PEACE Implementation Program

$1,497 per department (up to 10 chaplains) | $197 per additional chaplain

A department-wide rollout of the PEACE model. Includes a live 90-minute orientation session with Rev. McPherson, implementation guide, EHR template specifications your IT team can build from, staff training materials, and 30 days of email support post-implementation.

Designed for

​

Chaplaincy directors who want to standardize documentation practices across their department without building the training infrastructure from scratch.

New Chaplain Clinical Onboarding

$297 per new hire | $997/year for an unlimited department license

A structured onboarding curriculum for hospitals bringing on new chaplains. Covers clinical documentation standards, PEACE model training, Joint Commission orientation, and EHR note writing. Replaces or supplements ad hoc onboarding processes with a consistent, auditable training program.

Best for

The annual department license is designed for hospitals with ongoing chaplain hiring, one price, unlimited new hires, consistent onboarding every time.

Consulting

Customized implementation support.

For hospital systems, chaplaincy networks, and clinical pastoral education programs that need customized implementation support, consulting engagements are available directly with Rev. McPherson.

Consulting scope includes

  • Custom EHR template development for Epic, Cerner, and Meditech

  • Chaplaincy department policy writing (scope of service, assessment protocols, documentation standards)

  • Joint Commission survey preparation, full chaplaincy department audit and remediation

  • Staff training design and delivery

Quoted per engagement based on scope.

Why Train With The Practical Chaplain

Built from clinical practice, not academic theory.

Rev. Paulette A. McPherson, MDiv, DMin(c), BCC is a Board Certified Chaplain and the developer of the PEACE Spiritual Assessment Model. She developed PEACE during her Doctor of Ministry studies at Capital Seminary & Graduate School in 2025 in direct response to the documentation gap she observed across hospital chaplaincy departments.

Every course and program offered here is built from clinical practice, not academic theory. The goal is not to give you more frameworks to think about, it is to give you tools you can use in the room, and in the chart, starting today.

See the framework before you buy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions about chaplains and pastors.

  • Currently, these courses are not accredited for CPE units or board certification continuing education. They are clinical skills courses focused on documentation practice and Joint Commission compliance. Accreditation pathways are being explored for future offerings.

  •  No. FICA and HOPE are screening tools used by nursing staff at admission to identify patients who need a chaplain. PEACE is the assessment and documentation framework the chaplain uses after the referral is made. They are designed to work together, not replace each other.

  • Yes. The PEACE Implementation Program is priced for chaplaincy departments at $1,497 for up to 10 chaplains, with $197 per additional chaplain. The New Chaplain Clinical Onboarding program is available as a $997 annual department license for unlimited new hires.

  • The PEACE Model Course is launching soon. Register your email on the training page to be notified when enrollment opens and to receive early access pricing.

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