Medical Social Worker - Cancer Services - Full Time - Days

Why work for us

At Nebraska Methodist Health System, we focus on providing exceptional care to the communities we serve and people we employ. We call it The Meaning of Care – a culture that has and will continue to set us apart. It’s helping families grow by making each delivery special, conveying a difficult diagnosis with a compassionate touch, going above and beyond for a patient’s needs, or giving a high five when a patient beats a disease or conquers a personal health challenge. We offer competitive pay, excellent benefits and a great work environment where all employees are valued! Most importantly, our employees are part of a team that makes a real difference in the communities we live and work in.

About the role

Location: Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, 933 E. Pierce St., Council Bluffs, IA.

Provides medical social work services to patients and families treated in the Cancer Center to ensure a comprehensive program of treatment.

Responsibilities

• Identification of patients in need of social work interventions through case-findings and positive relationships with referral sources.
• Maintenance of patient records that include documentation of assessment, plan, and interventions directed towards meeting the assessed needs of the individual or family.
• Supports Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center clinics in their programs as requested by that department.
• Facilitates support groups as a member of the oncology team:
  • Provides facilitator leadership for Cancer Center support groups.
  • Assesses the on-going viability of cancer-related support groups.
  • Assures the availability of facilitators for all support groups.
  • Identifies and reviews support group needs of Methodist Cancer Center patients.
• Participates as a team member with cancer screenings in providing resource referral in the community for those found to have cancer and financial resource challenges:
  • Provides screening participants information about federal, state, local, and non-governmental financial assistance programs.
  • Provides direct assistance in the application process for financial assistance programs.
  • Maintains current resource file on federal, state, local, and non-governmental financial assistance and direct service programs.
• Provides information about the Cancer Center and all Cancer Center services to patient/family to ensure a comprehensive program of mind/body/spirit:
  • Provision of Cancer Center information packets to newly diagnosed patients.
  • Updating the content of the newly diagnosed information packets to ensure appropriate information is available to newly diagnosed patients.
  • Identifies and provides linkage of appropriate Health System and community services to promote continuity of care and appropriate health care resource utilization.
• Presents the Cancer Center to the community and state by offering workshops in regard to psychosocial aspects of cancer care:
  • Participation in community education programs either as a presenter or as a member of the planning committee for the program.
  • Participation in Cancer Center or Methodist Health System community education programs.
• Develops, implements, maintains, and evaluates cancer survivor/family/community support programs.
• Provides appropriate care specific to the age of the patient, to ensure understanding and comfort level of treatment, as outlined in the age-specific criteria.
• Develops, implements, maintains, and evaluates a process for identifying patients in need of social work assistance:
  • Social Services screening tool in place.
  • Screening process implemented.
  • Regular evaluation of screening program.
• Collaboratively works with inpatient social worker to maintain continuity of care for oncology patients:
  • Positive relationship with inpatient social worker.
  • Regular meetings/communication with inpatient social worker.
• Serves as an ambassador of the Harper's Hope Cancer Survivor's Program:
  • Participates in Harper's Hope operational meetings.
  • Seeks new processes to improve or enhance the program.
  • Provides in-services/education to various audiences about the program.
• Promotes a culture of safety:
  • Assures compliance with The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals.
  • Monitors on an ongoing basis environmental safety issues and appropriate interventions.
  • Assures completion and follow-up on Variance Reports and Patient/Family concerns.
  • Participates in identification, analysis, reduction, and evaluation of risk issues.
  • Reports issues/trends to Service Executive.

Schedule

40 hours per week, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. No nights, weekends, or holidays.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW) required.
• 2 years of experience in a healthcare setting; oncology experience required.

Qualifications

• Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW), Master Social Worker (MSW), or Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) for work state required.
• Oncology Social Work Certification (OSW-C) preferred.
• Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP) certification preferred.

Skills

• Knowledge of oncological diseases and their treatments, psycho-social implications for individuals and families, and appropriate interventions and resources.

Physical Requirements

Weight Demands: Light Work - Exerting up to 20 pounds of force.

Physical Activity:

• Not necessary for the position (0%):
  • Climbing
  • Crawling
  • Kneeling
• Occasionally Performed (1%-33%):
  • Balancing
  • Carrying
  • Crouching
  • Distinguish colors
  • Grasping
  • Lifting
  • Pulling/Pushing
  • Standing
  • Stooping/bending
  • Twisting
  • Walking
• Frequently Performed (34%-66%):
  • Keyboarding/typing
  • Reaching
  • Repetitive Motions
  • Sitting
  • Speaking/talking
• Constantly Performed (67%-100%):
  • Hearing
  • Seeing/Visual

Job Hazards

• Not Related:
  • Chemical agents (Toxic, Corrosive, Flammable, Latex)
  • Physical hazards (noise, temperature, lighting, wet floors, outdoors, sharps) (more than ordinary office environment)
  • Equipment/Machinery/Tools
  • Explosives (pressurized gas)
  • Electrical Shock/Static
  • Radiation Alpha, Beta and Gamma (particles such as X-ray, Cat Scan, Gamma Knife, etc)
  • Radiation Non-Ionizing (Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, and microwaves that cause injuries to tissue or thermal or photochemical means)
  • Mechanical moving parts/vibrations
• Rare (1-33%):
  • Biological agents (primary airborne and bloodborne viruses) (Jobs with Patient contact) (BBF)

About Methodist

Nebraska Methodist Health System is made up of four hospitals in Nebraska and southwest Iowa, more than 30 clinic locations, a nursing and allied health college, and a medical supply distributorship and central laundry facility. From the day Methodist Hospital was chartered in 1891, service to our communities has been a top priority. Financial assistance, health education, outreach to our diverse communities and populations, and other community benefit activities have always been central to our mission.