Social Worker

Essential Functions And Skills

• Affirms the psychosocial status of patients and families/caregivers related to the patient's terminal illness and environment.
• Communicates findings to the Registered Nurse and other members of the interdisciplinary care team.
• Carries out social evaluations, including family dynamics, caregiver abilities, communication patterns, suicide risk, neglect, or abuse.
• Plans intervention based on evaluation findings.
• Counsels patients and family/caregivers as needed in relationship to stress, and other identified coping difficulties.
• Provides crisis intervention when necessary.
• Provides ongoing Bereavement support to individuals identified as moderate or high-risk.
• Affirms any special needs related to the culture of the patient and family while educating interdisciplinary care team.
• Maintains clinical records on all patients referred to social work.
• Educates patients and families and assists in preparation of advanced directives.
• Provides information and referral services for patients and families/caregivers regarding practical and environmental needs.
• Serves as a liaison to community agencies.
• Maintains and develops contracts with public and private agencies as resources for patient and personnel.
• Participates in the development of the individualized plan of care, involving the patient and family.
• Attends regularly scheduled interdisciplinary group meetings, assisting the team in recognizing the effects of the psychosocial stresses on the symptoms of the terminal illness.
• Affirms assistance to physician and other team members in understanding significant social and emotional factors related to health problems and death/dying issues.
• Affirms assistance to Bereavement leadership in maintaining a program to meet the needs of families/caregivers for 13 months following the death of a patient.
• Affirms the initial bereavement assessment is completed or assigned to appropriate team member in a timely manner.
• Affirms assistance in making condolence calls to bereaved as needed.
• Affirms assistance in maintaining, organizing, and updating bereavement support group schedule.
• Affirms assistance in planning funeral arrangements, financial, legal, and health care decision responsibilities.
• Maintains compliance with all HIPAA regulations and requirements.

Qualifications

• Must have a bachelor’s degree in social work from an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
• Current licensed in the state(s) of practice.
• Four (4) licensure levels: Licensed Social Work (LSW), Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW), Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW), Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW).
• Social Workers can have compact licenses.
• Ability to pass background, consumer report, and drug test.
• Valid State Driver’s License, access to an automobile in good working order, automobile insurance in accordance with state and organizational requirements, and an acceptable driving record required.
• Preferred Master's degree in social work, preferred.
• One (1) plus years of social work experience in a health care setting.
• One (1) plus years of experience in a healthcare setting.