The Social Worker determines patient/family social service needs with the patient and family, and delivers direct social work services.

Level of Responsibility: Reports to the Social Services Manager

Status: Non-exempt

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8 am-4:30 pm; participates in the on-call back-up rotation

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. *Identifies the patient’s and family’s psychosocial needs while supporting their unique cultural and spiritual beliefs.

2. *Provides holistic family-centered care across treatment settings.

3. Establishes and maintains good working relationships with the patient and family, the attending physician, coworkers, and outside agencies.

4. When working in a facility, complies with facility-specific requests for reporting, documentation, PPE use, and other regulatory and facility requirements.

5. *Screens for psychopathology and provides counseling and education services and therapeutic interventions to address the relief of psychosocial issues such as fear, grief, depression.

6. Conducts suicide assessments as indicated and takes appropriate actions to address patient safety concerns.

7. *Assesses and fosters the patient and family’s coping skills. Conducts family conferences as needed. Helps patients identify and meet their personal goals.

8. *Connects the patient, family, caregiver, nursing facility with community resources as needed to enhance the strengths of the family’s system.

9. Provides emotional support to nursing facility staff for patients residing in the nursing home.

10. *Reports abuse and neglect to the appropriate authority as well as the IDT (interdisciplinary team) following organizational policy.

11. *Assists patients in identifying end-of-life goals. Informs the family/caregiver/nursing facility of those goals and assists the patient in achieving them.

12. *Attends and participates as a contributing member of the interdisciplinary hospice team. Consults with IDG’s and families to communicate changes or concerns regarding the patient’s needs.

13. *Assures that the nursing facility plan of care and the hospice plan of care are working toward the same care goals for the patient as well as participating as a member of the nursing facility interdisciplinary team during the patient’s care planning sessions for patients residing in the

nursing home.

14. Assesses and refers for ongoing spiritual and bereavement services. Assesses patient/family/nursing facility need for volunteer and chaplain support. Makes necessary referral for these services as well as complimentary therapies.

15. *Documents problems, psychosocial assessment, appropriate goals, care provided, interventions and patient, family and caregiver response to each intervention. Prepares documentation according to company policy and in accordance with the requirements of local, state, and federal agencies.

16. Assists patients in preparing advance directives such as Do Not Resuscitate Orders, Living Wills, Medical Powers of Attorney, or the Physicians Order for Scope of Treatment (POST).

17. Coordinates hospice discharge planning for patients who revoke, transfer or discharge from hospice.

18. Arrange supportive follow-up services for revoked or discharged patients, as appropriate.

19. Coordinates discharge planning for hospice patients who are in the Inpatient facility, or hospice contracted facilities. Facilitates nursing home or respite placements as needed. Arranges for respite care as appropriate in the Inpatient facility or with contracted facilities.

20. Assesses the support systems available as needed for pediatric patients and siblings and for children of adult patients and connects patients and family to support as needed and desired.

21. Educates the patient and family members about end-of-life decisions such as funeral planning, difficult care decisions, and the dying experience.

22. Provides educational opportunities for professional students as needed.

23. *Meets visit average standards established by the organization.

24. *Rotates as social worker on call, as appropriate.

25. *Demonstrates competency as hospice social worker.

26. *Complies with the employee standards.

27. Other duties as assigned

• Denotes essential job functions

Education and Experience:

1. Graduate of a nationally accredited school of social work. Minimum level of education of BSW required, MSW preferred.

2. Must have a current West Virginia Social Work LSW (at a minimum) license in good standing.

3. Two years social work experience, with end-of-life or healthcare experience preferred.

4. Able to provide own transportation, and a license to drive with current liability insurance. Driving record meets Hospice’s insurance company standards.

Physical Qualifications:

1. Ability to transport self to office and patient care settings throughout the service area.

2. Ability to walk from car to patient’s room in their care setting and perform essential job functions.

3. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing in English language.

4. Ability to hear normal conversation in person and via phone.

5. Ability to read normal or condensed print.

Equipment Used: Telephone, electronic equipment, office equipment.

Potomac team-primary service area is Berkeley County, WV.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $28.00 - $32.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person