Hospice Social Worker

Overview

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Presbyterian Homes & Services (PHS) is seeking a dedicated and compassionate Masters Prepared Medical Social Worker to join our Optage Hospice team in the greater Milwaukee area. This is a meaningful opportunity to support the growth of a faith-centered hospice program, delivering exceptional, person-centered care to patients and families during life’s most important moments.

At PHS, YOU are part of our most important resource, our people. We are a mission-driven organization committed to enriching the lives and touching the hearts of older adults, guiding them with comfort, dignity, and peace throughout their end-of-life journey.

As a Hospice Social Worker, you will be an integral member of the interdisciplinary team, partnering closely with clinical leadership to ensure the delivery of compassionate, holistic, and patient-centered end-of-life care.

This role is ideal for a professional who is inspired by faith-centered mission, values meaningful connections, and is passionate about supporting patients and families emotionally, socially, and spiritually.

You will play a key role in supporting the Clinical Administrator and care team, helping to strengthen and grow a hospice program rooted in compassion, dignity, and excellence.

  

Responsibilities

The Hospice Social Worker is responsible for developing, planning, implementing, supervising, and monitoring medical social services for hospice clients consistent with regulations and established best practices.  

Responsibilities include:

Hospice Services

• Create and maintain an environment that achieves high quality care (physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual) of clients and maintain their independence and dignity to the highest degree possible. Ensure that services provided promote the quality of remaining life. Establish and maintain effective communication systems with all customers and respond promptly to client and family issues.

Medical Social Services

• Complete admission, routine visits, transfer and discharge information as scheduled. Submit documentation accurately and on time. Assist clients and their representatives with all admission and discharge procedures including completing admission and discharge processes. Plan, implement and monitor the provision of client services on your caseload. Provide service coordination for clients to include arranging and/or referring appropriate support services. Plan interventions with clients based on assessments and regularly reassess and revise treatment plans in response to newly identified needs and altered goals of care. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of the client/family dynamics involved in death, dying and the bereavement process and age specific human growth and development. Demonstrate and apply knowledge and understanding of mental and emotional dysfunction.
• Comply with Federal and State regulations regarding appropriate documentation in the client’s medical record – initial and ongoing assessments, periodic charting, and care planning.
• Advocate for clients through individual counseling, advocacy for formal support groups as needed. Actively listen and respond appropriately to client/family concerns and respond in a timely manner. Partner with other professionals, the clients and their families to ensure that client needs are being met. Work collaboratively with others to resolve problems which affect the client’s health, safety, or ability to live comfortably. Support client and family sense of control while reducing anxiety. Treat clients and families with compassion, adapting communication to meet situations and cross cultural issues.
• Attend interdisciplinary client and family conferences according to preapproved timelines and frequency to ensure excellent communication and care coordination for client services.

Relationships with Outside Constituencies

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with outside agencies and organizations to promote hospice services, and to participate with the various community constituencies to achieve mutually beneficial results. Coordinate client services collaboratively with other professionals inside and outside PHS. Promote cooperation with all regulatory organizations managing with an expectation of appropriate compliance and corrective measures. Refer questions outside area of expertise to appropriate team members or community agencies.

Team Participation

• As a member of the hospice team, actively participate in department and program activities, meetings and processes. Assist fellow team members with the completion of their work when assigned or needed. Effectively collaborate with others to promote the total wellbeing of clients. Participate in Bereavement team, groups and activities as needed.

Operational Management

• Develop and implement established social services and policies, procedures and practices. Use quality management process to meet client needs. Develop, Implement and maintain monitoring systems and processes to ensure compliance with regulations and established best practices. Apply the knowledge and skills needed to do the position, including technical competence in the field and current knowledge of laws and regulations affecting your position. Maintain current knowledge of community resources available for clients. Use discretion and independent judgment to compare and evaluate possible courses of action and decision-making. Maintain knowledge of organization and industry policies and practices. Provide leadership and supervision of social workers in the hospice agency.

Financial Management

• Manage resource allocations in order to achieve or exceed operational goals. Assist in coordinating all aspects of the client’s stay with regard to their payment source. Demonstrate good stewardship of available resources. Work with team to develop budgets.

Ministry Focus

• Support the integration of Christian Culture in the community; reinforce the Christian heritage and culture through communication and education systems; support the work of on-site chaplains and spiritual program; recognize the importance of spiritual matters to clients and employees.

Qualifications

• Masters Prepared Medical Social Worker required.
• One year of supervised social work experience in a health care setting working directly with individuals.
• Current licensure as a social worker in state in which he/she practices if required by state law.
• Prior experience working with seniors and their families in senior housing, service or health care related environment preferred.
• Experience in geriatrics or health care related environment.
• Ability to work independently and exercise good judgment in problem solving and networking within the site and community.
• Excellent assessment and documentation skills.
• Ability to organize work flow, respond to emergencies and note detail. Ability to maintain a high level of performance in an environment of frequent demands and changes.
• Demonstrated knowledge of social community service delivery systems preferred.
• Demonstrated computer proficiency including Microsoft Office and other common computer programs.
• Demonstrated compatibility with  PHS' mission and operating philosophies.
• Demonstrated ability to read, write, speak and understand the English language to communicate with all customers.

Benefits

Full-time benefits-eligible employment begins at a minimum of 30 hours per week:

• Health, and dental, including applicable HSA & FSA
• Employer Contribution to HSA for eligible Health Plans
• Life insurance (AD&D)
• Retirement, with eligibility for an employer match
• Holiday pay and extended sick

Full and Part-time benefits-eligible employment working between 20-29 hours per week:

• Vision insurance
• Voluntary short-term & long-term disability
• Accident & hospitalization coverage
• Education assistance programs

All employees:

• Accrue PTO (Paid time off)
• Same-day pay
• Employee assistance program (EAP)
• College partnership educational discounts
• Access to Learn to Live Resources

About PHS

Presbyterian Homes & Services (PHS), based in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a nonprofit, faith-based organization providing a broad array of high-quality housing choices, care and services options for older adults. Some 8,000 employees serve more than 41,800 older adults through 60 PHS-affiliated senior living communities in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin, and through Optage® home and community services. PHS is also co-owner of Genevive, the largest geriatric primary care practice in Minnesota, providing comprehensive care for more than 15,500 older adults. Established in 1955, PHS has earned the reputation as an innovative leader dedicated to promoting independence, purposeful living and the overall well-being for those they serve. Today, PHS is one of the largest nonprofit providers of senior housing and services in the nation.

PHS is an EEO/AA employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, or status with regard to public assistance.