Home Social Worker

About the role

The Social Worker (SW) provides and coordinates a wide range of social services including psychosocial support to patients and their families. Employees working in Georgia require current Georgia LMSW or LCSW licenses.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or above in Social Work (CSWE accredited); SWs hired before 2009 who have degrees in other fields are grandfathered in; SWs hired before 4/21/2019 who have BSWs are grandfathered in;
• Bachelor’s degree may be considered depending on geographic area (Note: Home Health requires MSW)
• One (1) year of experience including social work/counseling internship in health care or hospital setting
• Familiarity with and working knowledge of the concepts and practices of both adult and pediatric patients: Hospice: death and dying Palliative: serious illness
• Previous experience working with an EMR/EHR (Electronic Medical/Health Record) system
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and effectively handle the emotional stress of the workload
• Able to remain calm, professional, trouble shoot and intervene with patient/family crisis situations
• Able to demonstrate high ethical standards in areas of Hospice mission, confidentiality, sensitivity, and flexibility
• Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills
• Able to work in a team environment and intervene appropriately
• Mobile Driver - Valid driver's license and automobile insurance per Company policy
• Able to travel to off-site locations
• Able to physically access any home, hospital, clinic, nursing home, and assisted living facility (i.e., navigate stairs, narrow stairs, narrow spaces, lack of air conditioning, etc.)

Competencies

• Satisfactorily complete competency requirements for this position.

Job Responsibilities

• Represents Company professionally at all times through care delivered and/or services provided to all clients.
• Complies with all State, federal and local government regulations, maintaining a strong position against fraud and abuse.
• Complies with company policies, procedures and standard practices.
• Maintains the confidentiality of patients, families, colleagues and other sensitive situations within company.
• Uses resources in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Promotes company through participation in community and professional organizations.
• Participates proactively in improving performance at the micro and macro levels.
• Improves own professional knowledge and skill level.
• Supports company research and educational activities.
• Shares expertise with co-workers both formally and informally.
• Participates in Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement activities as appropriate.

Home Health Specific

• Participates in the development of the individualized Plan of Care and participates in Case Conferences.
• Observes clinical symptoms, reaction to treatment regimen, and emotional status and reports to the appropriate staff along with pertinent changes.
• Anticipates barriers to pain and symptom management; identifies differences in goals of curative and palliative care; and provides appropriate education.
• Respects patient’s wishes and stated goals when planning and providing care.

Hospice Specific

• Shares joint responsibility with other clinicians and volunteers to provide care to patients and families including psychosocial support, advanced directive information, development of Plan of Care, and other social services depending on the patient/family needs.
• Attends and participates in Interdisciplinary Group (IDG) meetings; assists in developing and updating the Plan of Care; facilitates understanding of social services and bereavement aspects of care, and provides team with goals and interventions for patient/family care.
• Evaluates bereavement needs including making condolence calls, evaluating risk and coordinating the Plan Care with Bereavement staff.

Palliative Care Specific

• Affords assistance to the palliative care team and/or directly facilitates patient-family meetings for goal setting and advance care planning.
• Provides emotional support for patients and families facing serious illness.
• Coordinates educational and outreach services relevant to the social services – palliative care interface.
• Functions as a liaison: (1) between system-wide outpatient palliative care team and inpatient palliative care team, discharge planning and social service departments and (2) between palliative care team and community hospice, home care agencies, long term care facilities and other community services.

Job Responsibilities (Addendum for Social Worker in the Florida Keys & North Florida)

• Evaluates the bereavement care needs for survivors (i.e., adults, children, families) in accordance with Company policy.
• Provides grief guidance and support to maintain the Plan of Care.
• Facilitates bereavement and holiday support groups for children and adults.
• May attend memorial services.
• Maintains bereavement documentation in a manner reflecting timeliness, completeness, accuracy, legibility, clarity of goal, evaluation, plan, and intervention.
• Recruits volunteers through community networking activities and marketing efforts.
• Screens potential volunteers through intake calls and interviews, and in training.
• Trains, assigns, supervises and evaluates patient/family care volunteers as well as volunteers for Social Services/Bereavement, events, administrative support, and various other roles.
• Participates in the development and implementation of programs which enhance the morale and effectiveness of volunteers, volunteer newsletter, volunteer in-services, support programs and annual volunteer recognition.
• Participates in volunteer-related special events, committees and task force groups.
• Maintains records of volunteers, ensuring that all file requirements are met and kept current.
• Participates in interdisciplinary group (IDG) meetings; providing feedback about patients and family members and serves as a liaison between team members and volunteers.

Compensation

This position requires consent to drug and/or alcohol testing after a conditional offer of employment is made, as well as on-going compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Policy. All Chapters Health System employees performing services for Florida affiliates are submitted through the Florida Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse to verify eligibility after a conditional offer of employment is made as well as ongoing eligibility. For more information, please visit https://info.flclearinghouse.com/.