Fresenius Medical Care

Operates dialysis facilities and renal care

Student Social Work Clinical Placement Intern

Case Management & AdvocacyPosted on Nov 11

InternshipSpokane, WA, USANo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

A high school diploma or GED is required.
The intern must not work under the supervision of a family member or care for a patient who is a family member. If a family member is a patient at the facility, the intern must be scheduled on days that patient is absent or assigned to another patient.

Responsibilities

Support the organization's mission, vision, core values, customer-service philosophy, compliance program, and applicable regulatory and policy requirements.
Work as part of the hemodialysis healthcare team to support safe and effective dialysis therapy under the direct supervision of a licensed social worker, following applicable policies, procedures, training, and regulations.
Help maintain a safe and clean working environment and participate in quality enhancement and continuous quality improvement activities, including patient-satisfaction and process-improvement work.
Participate in field education that promotes identification with social work purposes, values, and ethics; integrates empirical and practice-based knowledge; and develops professional competence, while completing the required field education hours established by the Council on Social Work Education.
Provide outstanding customer service to internal and external customers, maintain effective relationships through timely communication, and respond to and follow up on customer-service issues.
As a member of the interdisciplinary team, assess patients' psychosocial status, strengths, and needs that may affect rehabilitation and treatment outcomes.
Collaborate with patients and the healthcare team on care planning to identify interventions that support rehabilitation, treatment goals, and quality of life.
Use established patient education programs, social work theory and methods, and quality-of-life measurement tools in assessment and care planning to address barriers and treatment goals.
Provide established outcomes-driven psychoeducational counseling to address identified needs, treatment adherence, vocational or educational rehabilitation, and quality of life.
Provide supportive, goal-directed counseling to patients seeking transplantation.
Assess patient awareness of advance directives, help patients access forms and information, and facilitate discussion of their wishes with the healthcare team and support persons when needed.
Provide general information about do-not-resuscitate orders and advance directives.
Provide information and help patients and the team make referrals to community resources, including home health services and vocational rehabilitation.
Provide usual care or Social Work Intensive services to address non-adherence and quality-of-life concerns.
Follow social work policies, including documentation requirements.
Assess patients' kidney-disease knowledge and barriers to treatment adherence, and work with patients, families, and the healthcare team to provide education tailored to learning styles and needs.
With the interdisciplinary team, provide information about treatment modalities, facilitate transplant referrals, and collaborate with the team when delegated by the Clinical Manager.
Educate patients and families about psychosocial issues related to end-stage renal disease and available support services.
Review patient rights and responsibilities, grievance information, and facility policies with patients or their representatives.
Collaborate with the team on quality assessment and improvement activities.
Maintain knowledge of local vocational and educational rehabilitation programs and help patients access referrals to support employment or education.
Follow financial policies and procedures, and collaborate with Financial Coordinators to explain assistance programs, address billing concerns, and clarify patients' financial responsibilities.
Work with administrative support staff to maintain current patient-resource lists, including transportation resources.
Develop and provide staff training on psychosocial topics and train staff on patient education programs as needed.
Complete other duties as assigned.
Travel between assigned facilities and community locations; travel to regional, Business Unit, and corporate meetings may be required.

Desired Qualifications

A desire to deliver superior patient care and support the organization's mission and values.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE:

The student intern supports FMCNA's mission, vision, core values and customer service philosophy. Adheres to the FMCNA Compliance Program, including following all regulatory and FMS policy requirements.

The student intern functions as part of the hemodialysis health care team in providing safe and effective dialysis therapy for patients under the direct supervision of a licensed social worker in accordance with FMCNA policies, procedures, and training and in compliance with regulations set forth by the corporation, state, and federal agencies. Assist in the maintenance of a safe and clean working environment. Supports the FMCNA commitment to the Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) and CQI Activities, including those related to patient satisfaction and actively participates in process improvement activities that enhance the likelihood that patients will achieve the FMC Quality Enhancement Goals (QEP).

DUTIES / ACTIVITIES:

An integral part of Social Work education that promotes students' identification with the purposes, values and ethics of the profession; fosters the integration of empirical and practice-based knowledge; and promotes the development of professional competence (CSWE Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards). A minimum number of required field education hours are established by the CSWE.

The social worker student/intern may under direct guidance of a Licensed Social Worker:

CUSTOMER SERVICES:

Responsible for driving the FMS culture through values and customer services standards.
Accountable for outstanding customer service to all external and internal customers.
Develops and maintains effective relationships through effective and timely communication.
Takes initiative and action to respond, resolve, and follow up regarding customer services issues with all customers in a timely manner.

PRINCIPLE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES RELATED TO PATIENT CARE:

Patient Assessment/Care Planning Counseling:

As a member of the interdisciplinary team, assesses patients' psychosocial status, strengths and areas of need that may affect rehabilitation and optimal treatment outcomes as part of the comprehensive patient assessment.
Participates in care planning in collaboration with the patient and healthcare team to identify effective interventions that will help the patient meet rehabilitation, treatment goals, and improve quality of life.
Utilizes FMS Ultra Care patient education programs, established social work theory and methods and quality of life measurement instruments as part of assessment and care planning to resolve barriers and meet patient treatment goals.
Provides established outcomes driven psycho-educational counseling methods aimed at improving areas of need, treatment adherence, vocational/educational rehabilitation and/or quality of life.
Provides supportive and goal directed counseling to patients who are seeking transplant.
Assesses patient awareness of advance directives; assists with accessing advance directive forms/information and facilitates discussion of advance directive wishes, if necessary, with the healthcare team and the patient's family/support persons.
Will provide general information about Do Not Resuscitate Orders and Advanced Directives.
Provides information and assists the team and patient with referral to community resources (home health services, vocational rehabilitation, etc.) to facilitate optimal treatment outcomes.
Provides usual care and/or Social Work Intensive to address non-adherence and quality of life concerns for all patients.
Knowledgeable of and adheres to FMCNA Social Work Policy, including documentation.

Patient Education:

Assess patient knowledge of kidney disease for barriers that may affect adherence to treatment. Works with patient, family and health care team to provide education tailored to the patient's learning style and needs.
With other members of the interdisciplinary team, provides appropriate information about all treatment modalities. Facilitates the transplant referral process and collaborates with interdisciplinary team, if delegated by Clinical Manager.
Provides ongoing education to patient/family regarding psychosocial issues related to End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and all support services that are available.
Reviewed patient rights and responsibilities, grievance information (company and network) and other facilities policies with patient and/or the patients' representative to ensure patients' understanding of the rights and expectations of them.
Collaborates with the team on appropriate QAI activities.

Insurance and Financial Assistance:

Maintains current knowledge regarding local vocational/educational rehabilitation programs and assist patients with referral and access to vocational rehabilitation to enable them to remain employed, become employed or receive education.
Understands FMCNA financial policies and procedures as they related to patient services. Collaborate with Financial Coordinators to educate patients about programs that may be available to assist with uncovered services, how to resolve billing concerns, and understand financial responsibilities.

Staff Related:

Works with the administrative support staff to maintain updated patient resource lists (e.g. maintain updated list of transportation resources).
Develops and provides training to staff pertaining to psychosocial topics as needed. Trains staff in Ultra Care Programs as needed.
Other duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Day to day work includes desk and personal computer work and interaction with patients, facility staff and physicians. The position requires travel between assigned facilities and various locations within the community. Travel to regional, Business Unit and Corporate meetings may be required.

The work environment is characteristic of a health care facility with air temperature control and moderate noise levels. May be exposed to infectious and contagious diseases/materials.

EDUCATION:

High School diploma or G.E.D.

EXPERIENCE AND REQUIRED SKILLS:

Preferred outstanding customer service to all external and internal customers. Possess the desire to deliver superior care to our patients and embrace Fresenius' mission and values.

RELATIONSHIPS:

The Intern cannot work under the supervision of a family member.

The Intern cannot care for a patient who is a family member. If an Intern's family member is a patient at the facility in which they work, the Intern will be scheduled to work on days the patient is not in the facility or will be assigned to another patient.

SUPERVISION:

The Clinical Manager assigns and closely monitors all SW Intern assignments with direct supervision from a SWFI based on the agreed education plan.

OTHER:

Performs additional duties as assigned.

Fresenius Medical Care maintains a drug-free workplace in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.

Fresenius Medical Care is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental status, national origin, age, disability, military service, or other non-merit-based factors

About the Company

Fresenius Medical Care

Operates dialysis facilities and renal care

Fresenius Medical Care North America provides renal care through a network of dialysis facilities and outpatient cardiac and vascular labs that deliver coordinated treatment for chronically ill patients. It also offers specialty pharmacy and laboratory services and manufactures and distributes dialysis equipment, disposables, and renal medicines. The company stands out by being the world’s largest fully integrated renal care provider with an extensive network that covers care delivery, drug and lab services, and product supply. Its goal is to ensure access to comprehensive, high-quality care for people with kidney and other chronic conditions across North America.

Company size: 11-50
Company stage: Late Stage VC
Total funding: $40.2M
Headquarters: Waltham, MA
Founded: 1996

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