Social Services

Job Description

Job Description

Social Services Professional

Job Description

Department: Admissions and Social Services

Licensed or non-licensed

Reports to: Administrator

Exempt Status: Exempt

FUNCITON: The primary purpose of your job position is to assist the Admissions & Social Services Coordinator to provide services to the residents and their families regarding the social and emotional aspects of illness, disability and aging in a long-term care facility, in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations, as well as our established policies and procedures.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBLITIES: Supervises any other individuals assisting in the area of Social Services as assigned by the Admissions & Social Services Coordinator.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Persons who have been found quality by a court of law of abusing, neglecting or mistreating individuals in a health care related setting are ineligible for employment in this position.
• Knowledge of regulatory standards and compliance requirements.
• Freedom from illegal use of drugs.
• Freedom from use and effects of drugs and alcohol in the workplace.
• Must have knowledge of special needs and limitations of elderly. Is able to recognize and identify situations in which problems are such that referral is indicated. Has sufficient understanding and self-discipline to relate sensitively to the patient’s needs and feelings.
• Interested in learning and advancement.
• Ability to work congenially with others.

Education and/or Experience : Graduate of a four-year college or university in social work, or applicable experience.

Language Skills : Must have strong oral and written communication skills. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups and/or individuals such as managers, clients, customers, and the public.

Mathematical Skills : Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as statistical process control tools and budgets. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations.

Reasoning Ability : Literate, emotional maturity, integrity, poise, and dignity sufficient to permit full performance of the duties of the position. Ability to define and solve problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Must have a genuine interest in the elderly, patience, and tact. Good listening skills

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Support Services:

• Interview resident and family and completes necessary forms.
• Identifies and evaluates personal, emotional, and environmental concerns that might otherwise prevent or limit the resident’s full use of medical, nursing, and restorative care. Formulates a written plan of care for resident.
• Records continuing progress notes on the resident’s social needs and the response of the resident to social services.
• Assembles and maintains a store of information on community resources and helps other staff to access.
• Gives assistance or help in locating and arranging for services of other professionals or agencies as needed.
• Participates regularly in care plans with nurses and other staff to assist in better understanding the resident and his family.
• Keeps a record of contacts with the family and assess resident responses.
• Counsels new residents and their families to inform them of services to residents, utilizing resident’s rights and responsibilities, and provides direct services to residents, utilizing available resources directed toward helping the resident solve problems associate with illness, disability, and the aging process.
• Completes the social history after interviewing residents, relatives, friends, and other significant individuals who are concerned with resident’s illness.
• Maintain social work progress notes by recording significant contact made in the course of performing the service.
• Assists in coordination of discharge planning for residents.
• Provides direct services to the resident’s family and/or persons concerned with his/her welfare. Develops meaningful, ongoing relationships with relatives, friends, legal guardians, and other significant individuals who will contribute to the resident’s successful adjustment to facility.
• Assist in collaborating with other facility disciplines in developing comprehensive care program.
• Utilizes remotivation techniques which encourage residents to take interest in their surroundings.
• Cooperate with the therapists in setting up induvial programs.
• Develops and maintains a working relationship with public and private health and welfare agencies i.e.: public social services, home health agencies, community hospitals, and community mental health clinics.
• Facilitate resident/family meetings for purpose of Care Planning.
• Conduct Family Council meetings.
• Attend Interdisciplinary Team meetings.
• Assess and monitor resident behaviors and interventions.
• Participate in Psychotropic Drug meetings.

RESIDENT RIGHTS: Promotes residents’’ rights, assists residents to make informed decisions, treats residents with dignity and respect, reports suspected abuse or neglect, and supports independent expression, choice, and decision making.

LEADERSHIP: Demonstrates willingness to communicate and discuss potential areas of risk with appropriate manager, generates new ideas for change, evaluates and recognizes priorities, select effective team members, challenges others to learn, keeps current and integrates new information, communicates and models organization values, fosters high performance, and recognizes need for and provides adequate resources.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT: Applies Continuous Quality Improvement principles, tools, and techniques, assists in data collections, identifies process for improvement in daily work, and educates new staff in team process.

ENVIRONMENT OF CARE: Demonstrates understanding of fire and emergency procedures, participates in fire and disaster drills, maintains emergency supplies and equipment, demonstrates understanding of safety and security procedures, applies safety and security precautions, demonstrates understanding of hazardous materials plan, and demonstrate proper use of equipment.

INFECTION CONTROL: Applies hand washing principles during daily work, demonstrates understanding of isolation precautions, complies with the employee health program, demonstrates understanding of the process for identifying and handling infectious waste, maintains personal hygiene, complies with OSHA standards in the workplace, and demonstrates understanding of cross-contamination.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT: Enters or records data, promotes confidentiality of resident information, logs onto the system using own password, logs off the system when leaving the work station, reports suspected violation of security/confidentiality issues, and reviews data and identifies trends.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS: Demonstrates active listening techniques, gains support through effective relationships, treats others with dignity and respect, seeks feedback, sets clear standards for performance, evaluates job performance and provides effective feedback, establishes system to measure effectiveness, efficiency, and service, and creates and maintains reporting mechanisms.

CONTINUING EDUCATION: Attends in-service and education programs, attends continuing education required for maintenance of professional certification or licensure.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand and walk, the employee is occasionally required to sit, use of fingers, hand, and arms to: hold, handle, reach or feel, and talk or hear. Extensive writing or computer typing. Occasional physical effort with light to medium objects. Specific vision abilities required by this job includes: close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

PAY AND BENEFITS:

Starting Pay: wage dependent on experience.

Bethesda Aberdeen offers a full benefits package including health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, vacation, sick and holiday pay, discounted on-site meals, flexible spending plans, pension plan and on-site childcare/pre-school with reduced employee rates.