Hospice Social Worker

PRN (As Needed). Would include evening visits and periodic on-call.

JOB SUMMARY

Responsible for providing patients and families psychosocial care regarding economic, social, and emotional needs under the direction and supervision of the Clinical Manager. Accountable for compliance with State/Federal laws and regulations. Supportive of the Village’s mission, values, and service/hospitality (PRIDE) expectations. Completes training as required by policy.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Assesses patient/family factors to estimate capacity to cope with diseases, terminal illness, and death.
Assists patient/family with utilizing community resources.
Evaluates patient’s insurance coverage and assesses appropriate resources available to assist patient/family with financial obligations.
Submits paperwork in a timely manner to update and maintain patient medical records.
Assists in discharge planning from hospitals to homes or nursing home placement of patients.
Handles on-call social work services.
Participates in regularly scheduled interdisciplinary team meetings to coordinate the care of the patient and family, exchanges information and problem solves, and receives staff support and in-service information.
Assesses and evaluates patient’s level of care needs and caregiver’s needs for respite care and reports changes to the Clinical Manager.
Assesses emotional factors related to terminal illness.
Assists the IDT members in recognizing and understanding the social/mental stress and/or disorder that exacerbates the symptoms related to terminal illness.
Assesses the patient/family psychosocial status, potential for risk of suicide and/or abuse or neglect.
Assesses environmental resources and obstacles to maintaining safety, including the caregiver’s ability to function adequately.
Participates in the development and revision of the plan of care.
Provides short-term individual counseling, and crisis intervention.
Addresses funeral planning issues and assists with preparation of advance directives.
Assesses special needs related to cultural diversity including communication, space, role of family members and special traditions.
Assesses need for counseling related to risk assessment for pathological grief and bereavement needs.
Identifies patient/family needs when discharged or when level of care changes.
Participates in agency quality assessment performance improvement (QAPI) programs.
Applies the policies and procedures of the agency and the rules and regulations of federal and state regulatory agencies and other certified agencies in providing care.
Adheres to all safety regulations and requirements.
Handles stress well and gets along with others within the workplace and with customers outside the department; maintains acceptable standards of workplace conduct.

The responsibilities described previously represent the primary responsibilities of the job. Other responsibilities may be assigned by the supervisor as warranted by business needs. The incumbent is expected to perform all assigned responsibilities.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Ability to determine time, place and sequence of operations or action to be taken on the basis of analysis of data; executing determinations and/or reporting on events.
Ability to deal with individuals in terms of their total personality in order to advise, counsel, and/or guide them with regard to problems that may be resolved by legal, scientific, clinical, spiritual, and/or other professional principles.
Ability to use body members, hand tools, and/or special devices to work, move or carry objects or materials. Involves little or no latitude for judgment with regard to attainment of standards or in selecting appropriate tool, object or materials.
Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions. Interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form. Deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Ability to compute discount, interest, profit and loss; ratios and percentages. Calculate variables and formulas; ratio and proportion variables.
Ability to read literature, books, technical journals, and legal documents. Write journals, reports and correspondence. Conversant in persuasive speaking, discussions and debates.
Ability to communicate with an interdisciplinary team and advocate for the need of the resident.

Education:

Must hold LMSW in the State of Missouri; or ability to obtain within 3 months of hire.

SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS

All associates may be called upon to assist other departments in a declared emergency situation.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Medium Work – Exerting up to 50 lbs of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 lbs of force frequently, and/or up to 10 lbs of force constantly to move objects.
The associate is required to have visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned or to make general observations of facilities or structures.
The associate will stoop by bending spine at the waist downward and forward; kneeling on the knee to come to a rest; climb stairs and ramps, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms; and crouching downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
The associate will reach hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction; push forward, downward or outward; and lift objects from a lower to a higher position or move objects horizontally from position to position.
The associate will walk to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
The associate will finger with whole hand or arm such as picking, pinching or typing; grasp by applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm and feel attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
The associate will talk to expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word accurately, loudly, and/or quickly; and hear sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED/GIVEN

Occasionally receives supervision from others.

Gives no supervision.

EOE/D/V

Nicotine-Free Workplace

Post-offer background check and health screening required.

Experience
Required
LMSW in the State of Missouri
Licenses & Certifications
Required
MSW

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

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