Hospice Social Worker

Job Description

Job Description

Description

Provide Medical Social Services to the patient and/or family according to the Plan of Care.  

• Conduct a psychosocial assessment as part of the comprehensive assessment within 5 days of admission to the hospice program. This includes emotional, social, financial   and environmental resources and to identify appropriate psychosocial   problems, interventions and goals for the patient’s plan of care.

• Participate in IDG meetings and the development of the patient’s plan of care.

• Observe, record and report changes on the patient's emotional and social factors that are being affected by the patient's illness and his/her need for   care and his/her response to treatment.

• Maintain and submit written clinical records as deemed by the Agency, including the initial evaluation, the care plan and daily notes.

• Evaluate the patients and family's response to, and effectiveness of, the medical social work intervention.

• Confirm, on a weekly basis, the scheduling of visits with the patients’ Case Managers to facilitate coordination of other staff visits.

• Participate in IDG and QAPI meetings and activities.

• If the patient/family declines Social Work services, the Social worker continues to offer support to the IDG in it’s care of the patient and to   monitor the patient/caregiver’s evolving needs.

• Participate in discharge planning, as needed.

• Assume responsibility for self-development by continually striving to improve his/her Medical Social Worker practice through formal education,   attendance at workshops and conferences, active participation in professional and related organizational meetings, and/or individual research and reading.

• Assess the patient's/ family members’ ability to cope with the patient’s dying. 

• Act as consultant to the members of the health team, assists them in understanding the social, emotional and environmental factors related to the   patient's health problems.

• Help patients to utilize the resources of their families and the community.

Qualifications

Social Worker means an individual who is currently licensed to practice social work in Massachusetts under the licensure categories of Licensed Independent Practitioner of Clinical Social Work, or Licensed Certified Social Worker or Licensed Social Worker.

• • If social work services are provided solely by one individual, that individual shall be a licensed certified social worker with a MSW or a licensed independent clinical social worker.

• • Has a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education 

Or

• • Has a baccalaureate degree in social work from an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, has 1 year of social work experience in a healthcare setting and is supervised by an MSW. The BSW will be supervised by a MSW.

1.If BSW, one (1) year of Social Work experience mandatory, If MSW, one (1) year of Social Work experience preferred.

2.Hospice experience preferred.

3.Must be a licensed driver with an insured automobile in good working order.

4.The ability to communicate well, both verbally and in writing.