Social Worker - Msw - Hospice - Full Time - Days

Responsible to the Director of Professional Services/patient Care Coordinator to provide patients and families psychosocial care regarding economic, social and emotional needs.

Essential Job Functions

General Responsibilities

• Assess patient/family factors to estimate capacity to cope with diseases, terminal illness and death. Communicates with the physician before care, and as needed.

• Directs and supervises Social Worker in care given to patient. Provides supervisory visits, as needed.

• Assesses patients for existing mental disorders, stress, suicide risks.

• Evaluates patient’s insurance coverage and pursues options for financial assistance if needed.

• Submits paperwork in a timely manner to update and maintain patient medical records.

• Assists in discharge planning from hospitals to homes.

• Assists in nursing home placement of patients

• Participates in on call social work services.

• Provides counseling to hospice staff.

• Participates in regularly scheduled interdisciplinary team meetings to coordinate the care of the patient and family, exchange information and problem solve, and receive staff support and inservice information.

• Assesses and evaluates patients level of care needs and caregiver needs for respite care

• Participates in agency quality assessment performance improvement (QAPI) programs.

• Provides community programs concerning hospice and related issues of loss & illness.

• Ensure growth & profitability of the company through the responsible use of company resources and educating the community to our services.

• Applies the policies & procedures of the agency & the rules & regulations of federal & state regulatory agencies & other certified agencies in providing care.

• Willingly accepts direction from Director of Professional Services/patient Care Coordinator.

• Developing the plan of care in consultation with the physician and other care team members.

• Meets or exceeds established productivity standards.

• Provides counseling and support to family and patient for crisis intervention, preparing Advance Directives, funeral planning, issues involving transfer of fiscal, legal and health care responsibilities, community resources and bereavement needs.

• Accepts other assignments deemed appropriate.

• Adheres to established personnel policies.

General Responsibilities (Hospice Only)

• Assesses emotional factors related to terminal illness.

• Assists the physician and other IDT/IDG members in recognizing and understanding the social/mental stress and/or disorder that exacerbates the symptoms related to terminal illness.

• Assesses the patient/family psychosocial status, potential for risk of suicide and/or abuse or neglect

. • Assesses environmental resources and obstacles to maintaining safety

. • Participates in the development and revision of the plan of care. Provides social services including:

• Short-term individual counseling • Crisis intervention • Assistance in providing information and preparation of advance directives

• Funeral planning issues and transfer of responsibilities regarding fiscal, legal and health care decisions

• Prepares clinical and progress notes.

• Identifies family dynamics and communication patterns.

• Involves the patient/family in the plan of care.

• Identifies and utilizes appropriate community resources and assesses patient/family ability to access them.

• Participates in in-service programs.

• Evaluates patient/family response to psychosocial interventions

. • Assesses caregiver’s ability to function adequately.

• Assesses need for counseling related to risk assessment for pathological grief.

• Assesses special needs related to cultural diversity including communication, space, role of family members and special traditions.

• Identifying the developmental level of patient/family and obstacles to learning or ability to participate in care of patient.

• Addresses patient/family questions and issues.

• Identifies obstacles to compliance and assists in understanding goals of interventions.

• Identifies support systems available to reduce stress and facilitate coping with end-of-life care.

• Evaluates for long-term care when appropriate and assesses ability to accept change in level of care.

• Communicates psychosocial information to in patient facility when level of care is changed.

• Assists patient/family in assessing financial resources when appropriate.

• Identifies patient/family needs when discharged or when level of care changes.

• Evaluates patient/family response to interventions when referred to community agency and satisfaction of the service provided.

• Assesses bereavement needs

Education

• Masters Degree in Social Work from an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

• May require licensure or certificate as required in the state in which they practice and be in good standing. Qualifications

• Demonstrate problem solving and decision making abilities.

• Demonstrated ability to work well with an interdisciplinary team.

• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written, and interpersonal relations and organization.

• Ability to develop and maintain rapport with the patient and family. Experience

• At least one year of experience in a health care setting or as approved by the Director of Operations.

Physical Demands

• Lifting 50 pounds maximum with frequent lifting and or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 pounds; Walking, standing, talking, hearing, pushing, fingering, reaching, seeing, stooping, smelling, depth perception, color vision.

Travel

• Necessary on a daily basis; 100%.

Working Conditions

• Patient home/living facility.

• Exposure to disagreeable conditions including odors, infection, illness, and physical contact from disruptive patients.

Principal Contacts

• Field staff, patients, families and physicians and community health care provider, office staff.