Social Worker (part-time)

Social Worker (Part-Time)

The Social Worker, a 0.6 FTE member of the clinic's interdisciplinary team, assists patients and their families in addressing both the emotional and practical challenges associated with acute, chronic, or life-limiting illnesses. The Social Worker collaborates with appropriate community resources to help patients access needed services and support. This individual maintains open and effective communication with the multidisciplinary team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides psychosocial assessments while helping patients understand their diagnosis, treatment options, and potential side effects, and empowers patients and caregivers with appropriate coping strategies.
• Links patients and families to appropriate community resources.
• Collaborates effectively as a member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
• Listens actively without judgment, validates feelings, and offers practical assistance.
• Builds and maintains a community resource database by establishing effective partnerships with key sources of assistance for patients and families.
• Actively collaborate with fellow peers, Oncologists, Dietitians, and Nurses during tumor board with in-depth discussions to review patient charts and promote decisions in the patient's best interest.
• Participates in cancer support groups, educational opportunities, and cancer-related community events.
• Provides community education on cancer for patients, family members, and support people.
• Serves as a patient advocate and liaison with physicians, families, and community partners to ensure continuity of care.
• Serves as a point of contact for the Brighter Side Boutique, connecting patients with various head coverings to support those experiencing hair loss during cancer treatment.
• Coordinates patient care plans, including referrals to home care or hospice services.
• Documents patient and family status, history, diagnosis, treatment plans, evaluation results, observations, and progress within the EPIC EHR system.
• Maintains patient confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA guidelines.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proficient in effectively utilizing community resource database software.
• Communicate appropriately with diverse patient populations and conduct effective community outreach activities.
• Knowledge of social work principles and practices. Obtains comprehensive knowledge as an expert in the field.
• Knowledge of essential tools that connect individuals to necessary local, state, county, and federal assistance programs.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, special skills in active listening, assessment of human behavior, and interpersonal relationships.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Certified Advanced Practice Social Worker (CAPSW), required.
• Certified Independent Social Worker for State of Wisconsin or License Clinical Social Work (LCSW) for State of Wisconsin
• At least one year's experience in social work with broad background with diverse patient populations, preferably in medical setting.

Environmental/Working Conditions:

• Occasionally lift to 10 lbs.; rarely lift 50 lbs. or push/pull 25 lbs.
• Frequently stand, reach, and use hands.
• Requires close vision, speaking, and hearing.
• Sit for extended periods; occasionally stoop, kneel, or crouch.
• Work primarily in exam rooms and office settings.
• May require evening, weekend, or extended hours.
• Occasional stress in balancing multiple demands and in dealing with patients/families experiencing tension.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the job and the general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.