Social Worker

About the role

VIA Health Partners is an industry leader and top-10 nationally ranked provider of end-of-life care. More importantly we are proud to be a community based, not for profit hospice & palliative care provider. We have deep community roots, with decades of experience serving ALL patients’ and families’ needs regardless of their ability to pay or their medical complexity. We are a people first organization whose funds go to serve our mission. Due to our significant growth, we are looking for amazing new staff who share these same values.

Benefits

• Medical, Vision, and Dental plans through BCBS
• 28 days of Paid Time Off
• Excellent mileage reimbursement rate
• 403b Retirement plan with matching
• Focused programs honoring Veteran patients
• Assistance with achieving Certified Hospice & Palliative Nurse (CHPN)
• Best Orientation and Onboarding program
• Seasoned Hospice leaders guiding your career growth

Responsibilities

• Conducts psychosocial assessments of patients/caregivers and families to identify emotional, social, and environmental strengths and problems related to their diagnosis, illness, treatment, and life situation
• Develops, implements, and evaluates plans of care for patients/caregivers and families
• Incorporates therapeutic, preventive, and other clinical social work practices that specifically address patient/caregiver and family needs for counseling and education while maintaining the dignity of the dying patient
• Specifically addresses patient’s and caregiver’s need for resource and referral services and advocacy
• Updates plan of care as goals and objectives are achieved or changed
• Supports patient/family’s individual spiritual/cultural beliefs by assessing cultural issues, developing culturally sensitive care plans, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams in provision of culturally sensitive care
• If not an LCSW, consults with and involves a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Social Work Preceptor in cases that require clinical social interventions or support beyond their expertise or scope of practice
• Documents assessments, care plans, interactions, and interventions according to regulatory and agency standards
• Participates in and works collaboratively with the interdisciplinary group (IDG) and other VIA departments in achieving patient care goals
• Provides education on hospice philosophy and services, advance care planning, and other issues related to end of life care
• Conducts family meetings
• Collaborates with long term care community staff and other IDG members to determine the patient’s level of care and coordinate the appropriate utilization of services
• Initiates referral process for volunteers, chaplains, and grief services; continues to reassess supportive service needs and interventions
• Maintains working knowledge of community agencies and resources, assessing and referring patient/family to appropriate resources
• Manages time, caseload, and technology
• Assumes responsibility for the effective and professional delivery of health services
• Schedules visits in advance based on prioritized judgment of case load needs
• Prepares for visits, anticipates care needs, reviews plan of care and patient information, and obtains needed materials and educational resources for patients/caregiver
• Makes visits to provide needed care; follows established plan of care, evaluates patient/caregiver responses to determine progress toward goals, and revises plan of care as necessary
• Provides interventions consistent with the plan of care and performs all interventions required for each visit; identifies new problems or needs when they occur
• When appropriate given the plan of care, facilitates transfers of patients to other settings including respite, skilled nursing facilities or other hospices
• Facilitates patient and caregiver independence to the extent possible
• Facilitates transition from active patient/caregiver status to grief care services after the death of a patient
• Plans workday to respond to priorities as well as to minimize travel time
• Ensures accurate, complete, and timely clinical documentation in accordance with VIA guidelines
• Keeps clinical records current by completing and synchronizing electronic medical records throughout the day; completes and submits all clinical documentation per VIA clinical documentation guidelines
• Records time/mileage report logs accurately; submits activity logs in accordance with VIA policy
• Assumes responsibility for establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with interdisciplinary teams and interdepartmental staff
• Attends and participates in meetings as assigned
• Participates actively in the process of improvement
• Maintains open lines of communication with Supervisor; keeps Supervisor appraised of any complex patient/caregiver issues
• Assumes responsibility for related duties as required or assigned
• Ensures that VIA professional reputation is maintained and projected
• Assumes responsibility for professional development and staying abreast of current trends in the social work field; incorporates new information and methods into practice
• Maintains current professional licensure in NC as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and in SC as a Licensed Independent Social Worker – Clinical Practice (LISW-CP), as applicable
• May perform other duties as required

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required if working as a BSW
• Master’s degree in social work from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited institution if working as MSW
• Medical social work or hospice experience preferred
• Licensed as a Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSWA) or a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) by the NC Social Work Certification and Licensure Board and SC Board of Social Work Examiners, Licensed Independent Social Worker – Clinical Practice (LISW-CP) and remain in good standing with the licensing board
• Computer proficiency required