Social Worker

Monday-Friday 8am-5pm 

Summary & Objective

The Social Worker provides social work services primarily on a visiting and intermittent basis in the Inpatient Unit in accordance with the policies and procedures of Catholic Palliative Care Services.

Essential Functions

• Assess patient’s needs in the Inpatient Unit within established time frames within organizational, state and federal regulations.
• Provides individual counseling of patients and family members coping with terminal illness.
• Administers individual and family psychosocial support depending on individual need and state compliance.
• Evaluates and assesses patient and family to determine coping strategies related to grief.
• Develop treatment plans in accordance with outcome of evaluation while collaborating with interdisciplinary team members.
• Completes clinical note, psychosocial and financial assessments, interdisciplinary notes, bereavement assessments, etc., and gives copies to appropriate Manager.
• Facilitates crisis intervention working with community organizations and interdisciplinary team members to ensure patient and patient-family unit psychosocial care.
• Attends group meetings, individual and family interviews during the evening hours as needed.
• Provides written weekly schedule to Clinical Care Manager in an effort to maintain compliance and deliver psychosocial support.
• Instruct, treat, observe and evaluate patients exhibiting significant social and emotional problems affecting their health status.
• Implement the Plan of Care provisions to meet their needs, which include: social service goals for alleviating problems, supportive counseling, problem solving, community referrals, etc.
• Provides coordination and liaison service between Hospice caregiver and community agencies, hospital caregivers, funeral directors, lawyers, schools, etc.
• Provides referral services for the patients and families to the community agencies for needs beyond the scope of Hospice care, such as long-term therapy, psychiatric care, financial assistance, etc.
• Provides Bereavement counseling services to families of patients who received hospice care in a variety of treatment modalities including individual, family and group.
• Complete appropriate documentation in a timely manner to assure compliance with agency policy.
• Participate in the development and periodic re-evaluation of the physician’s Plan of Care (POC).
• Instruct and counsel patients and families in treating and coping with social and emotional response connected with the illness.
• Regularly assess the patient and family psychosocial needs.
• Regularly assess the pre-bereavement/anticipatory grief needs.

*Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Other Duties

• Apply concepts of agency’s infection control plan and universal precaution in coordination/performing client cares activities to protect both patient and staff (OSHA).
• Demonstrates knowledge of hospice levels of care, Medicare and Medicaid Hospice Benefits by providing appropriate documentation when the need arises.
• Participates in educational and developmental programs to enhance his or her ability to provide therapeutic services to patients, families, staff and the community.
• Knowledge of community resources to make referrals to agencies and coordinate services with patient-family units.
• Implements a comprehensive discharge plan.
• Utilizes Support Services Coordinator to gain input, seek resources and to obtain clinical supervision.
• Provides community education in the form of workshops, lectures, etc.
• Participates in orientation, team meetings, staff development and other interdisciplinary meetings.
• Accounts to the Support Services Coordinator for appropriate use of work logs in providing both service to patient/families and service to Hospice Staff and community.
• Ability to participate as an integral member of the interdisciplinary team in providing supportive services to patients and families through On-Call system.
• Exhibit high comfort level in dealing with terminal illness.
• Consistently able to work calmly and maintain effectiveness in situations of high stress. 
• Maintaining the ability to extend hospitality and patience while assisting patients, families, physicians and peers under stressful circumstances.
• Demonstrate commitment and professional growth by participating in in-service programs and maintaining/improving competency.
• Maintain the highest standards of professional conduct in relation to information that is confidential in nature. Share information only when recipient's right to access is clearly established and sharing of such information is in the best interest of the patient.
• Meet mandatory continuing education requirements of the agency/licensing board
• Maintain your required licenses, certifications and mandatory skill updates.
• Comply with all policies, local, state and federal laws and regulations.
• Provide other duties of healthcare team member.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibility

• May serve as an interim department leader depending on need

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and push/pull up to 250+ pounds, walk, climb stair or ladders, stand on feet for extended periods of time, etc.

Disclaimer

The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time.

EEOC Statement

CHS provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.