Social Worker

Job Description

Job Description

Summary:

We are seeking a compassionate, experienced Social Worker to join our Hospice team. This position provides meaningful support to patients and their families in the comfort of their own homes, helping them navigate the emotional, social, and practical challenges that can come with illness, aging, and end-of-life care.

We are primarily seeking one full-time Social Worker to cover the service area, but we are also open to a job-share arrangement with two part-time Social Workers, with one clinician serving the North territory and the other serving the South territory.

Essential Functions:

• Assesses the psychosocial status of patients and families/caregivers related to the patient’s terminal illness and environment and communicates findings to the members of the interdisciplinary group. Provides an assessment in the patient’s identified residence and assistance when this is not safe, and another plan is required.
• Carries out social evaluations, including family dynamics, caregiver abilities, communication patterns, high risks for suicide, neglect or abuse and plans intervention based on evaluation findings. Counsels patient and family/caregivers as needed in relationship to stress, and other identified coping difficulties. Provides crisis intervention when necessary.
• Assesses for, and educates interdisciplinary group, on any special needs related to the culture of the patient and family. Including communication, roles of family members, space, and any special traditions or taboos.
• Maintains accurate and timely clinical records on all patients referred to social work prepares clinical and progress notes.
• Educates patients and families on, and assists in, preparation of advanced directives.
• Provides information to patients or families/caregivers and community agencies.
• Serves as liaison between patients or families/caregivers and community agencies.
• Maintains collaborative relationships with Agency personnel to support patient care.
• Maintains and develops contracts with public and private agencies as resources for patient and Agency personnel.
• Participates in the development of the individualized plan of care, involving the patient and family, and attends regularly scheduled interdisciplinary group meetings, assisting the team in recognizing the effects of the psychosocial stresses on the symptoms of the terminal illness.
• Participates in the development of the total plan of care and case conferences as required.
• Assists physician and other team members in understanding significant social and emotional factors related to health problems.
• Participates in discharge planning.
• Participates in on-call rotation of department to include coverage on weekends and holidays providing support services for all lines of services.
• Actively participates in quality assessment performance improvement teams and activities.
• Provides positive customer relations in dealing with patients, families, physicians, fellow department employees, referral sources, services agencies, and others.
• Assists family and patient in planning for funeral arrangements, financial, legal, and heath care decision responsibilities.
• Performs other duties as required and necessary to ensure the success of the Agency.

  Supervisory duties:

• None.

  Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Ability to consistently promote, support, work, and act in a manner in support of the Mount Evans mission and values.
• Demonstrates good interpersonal, verbal and written communication, and organization skills.
• Understands hospice philosophy, and issues of death/dying.
• Physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities sufficient to perform essential functions.

  Education:

• A graduate of a master’s degree program in social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education is preferred (MSW) or a Bachelors of Social Work (BSW) with relevant experience. Meets personnel qualifications stated in §418.114(b)(3).

  Experience:

• Minimum of one (1) years’ experience in health care required, home health, hospice, geriatrics, caregiving, end of life planning, critical conversation, crisis counseling, and/or grief preferred. 

Additional Requirements/Licenses/Certifications:

• Possesses and maintains current CPR certification.
• Must be a licensed driver with an automobile that is insured in accordance with state and/or organization requirements and is reliable.

Working Environment:

The 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 the individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work is generally performed in an indoor home environment.

• Travel throughout the community to patients on a regular basis.
• In and out of automobile.

Physical Activities:

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

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Ability to stand, sit, walk, talk, reach with arms and hands, have good manual dexterity, use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone.

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
• The ability to complete assignments in all types of weather and ever-changing and sometimes allergenic environments in patients’ homes, including extreme heat, humidity, dust, and smoke.