Address
Form of workSOCIAL WORKER
Job Summary: Assists patients and families with psychosocial aspects of the terminal illness and its impact on their lives. Includes, but is not limited to, counseling to enhance coping skills, advocacy, information and referral, assistance with legal and financial concerns, and discharge planning.
Qualifications:
- Master's Degree in Social Work required.
- Current licensure to practice professional social work in the State of Texas.
- Reliable means of transportation; current Texas driver’s license, automobile insurance.
- Supports philosophy and objectives of Hope Hospice.
- Has prior work experience with demonstrated competency in job duties.
- Evinces personal integrity, appropriate personal presence, and strong work ethic.
- Communicates effectively, both verbally and in writing.
- Exhibits ability to solve problems, make decisions, set priorities, and keep accurate, orderly records.
- Works effectively within a team approach, as well as independently.
- Works flexible hours as needed.
- Assumes social work responsibilities for agency when on-call/stand-by, cover for co-workers (Social Workers) in their absence from work.
- Practice ethical decision making and problem solving in accordance tot the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners Scope of Practice.
- Computer and software literacy
Duties and Responsibilities
Plan of Care and Direct Services
- Assesses and identifies the patient/family’s psychosocial needs and completes psychosocial assessments to include emotional and financial need, support systems in place, strengths and coping abilities or deficits and connects the patient/family to community resources to enhance their quality of life, support the strengths they possess.
- Provides interventions for specific symptom relief, such as fear, grief, depression, anger, and other behaviors associated with grief, potential death.
- Screens for psychopathology, identifying existing mental disorder and stress that exacerbate the disorder or symptoms related to terminal illness, and educates/intervenes accordingly. Use DSM-IV as a reference for diagnosis and treatment plans and collaborate with the IDT.
- Assesses and refers for ongoing bereavement services.
- Applies specialized knowledge and advanced clinical skills in assessment, diagnosis, treatment of mental, emotional, and behavior disorders.
- Assesses potential risks: suicide, abuse or neglect, obstacles to maintaining safety, and plans with IDT for interventions.
- Participates in the development and revision of a plan of care and serves as a member of IDT.
- Document’s problems, psychosocial issues, appropriate goals, care provided, interventions, and patient, family, and caregiver response to each intervention.
- Assesses support systems for pediatric patients and siblings and for children of adult patients.
- Provides holistic, family-centered care across treatment settings and assures continuity of care if setting changes.
- Provides short-term individual counseling, crisis intervention, assistance in providing information and preparation of advance directives, funeral planning, issues involving transfer of fiscal, legal and health care responsibilities.
- Assesses family dynamics and communication patterns and involves the patient/family/significant others in the plan of care.
- Assesses special needs related to cultural diversity including communication, space, role of family members, and special traditions.
- Identifies the developmental level of patient/family/caregiver and obstacles to learning or ability to participate in care of patient.
- Identifies obstacles to compliance and assists patient/patient caregiver in understanding goals of intervention.
- Evaluates for long-term/hospital care when appropriate and assesses ability of patient/family to accept change in level of care, communicating psychosocial information to inpatient facility when level of care is changed, or if discharged.
- Assists patients and families in obtaining community services for economic and social adjustment and evaluates patient/family response to intervention by community agency and satisfaction of services provided.
- Assesses bereavement needs and visits/calls as needed.
- Coordinates family meetings to deal with urgent problems in developing and providing services according to the interdisciplinary team’s Plan of Care and ongoing revisions.
- Assumes responsibility for on-call duty in rotation with other Social Workers.
Interdisciplinary Team/Staff Services
- Assists team members in understanding the significant social and emotional factors related to the terminal illness.
- Provides in-service/continuing education programs for team members, as requested.
- Assists with Volunteer Training Program and Bereavement Program, as requested.
- Supervises social work interns, as needed.
Admissions
- Meets with prospective patients and family to explain hospice philosophy and services.
- Assists patient/family to sign hospice paperwork.
- Coordinate’s admission services with admissions department.
Community Relations
- Develops and maintains working relationships with community, health, welfare, and social agencies.
- Reaches out to the community to develop new resources for meeting patient needs.
- Serves as a community resource for crisis counseling and referrals to appropriate resources.
- Offers educational programs for community groups, as requested.
General
- Support philosophy and objectives of Hope Hospice.
- Maintain professional competency in area of expertise.
- Maintain professional licensure and/or certification current; know and abide by professional practice rules.
- Stay abreast of governmental and accreditation requirements affecting area of responsibility.
- Maintain professional appearance, behavior, attitude, and integrity.
- Stay abreast of and abide by policies and procedures of the agency.
- Maintain confidentiality and ethical behavior.
- Promote a team approach through cooperation, mutual respect, flexibility, and dependability.
- Participate in appropriate meetings and activities, including Performance Improvement.
- Exhibit good stewardship of resources, including self-care.
- Read materials and attend in-services, seminars or conventions as needed for professional growth.
- Contribute to an atmosphere of excellence, mutual respect, and caring.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Working Conditions:
Operates a motor vehicle in order to drive to and from assignments in patient homes and nursing facilities. Duties include climbing stairs of varying sizes, types, and degrees that may be slick or in disrepair; negotiating ramps of varying sizes, types, and degrees that may be slick or in disrepair; and dealing with various issues related to the yard and street; and dealing with other circumstances both outside and inside the patients place of residence. Must be able to perform under a wide variety of conditions and circumstances in the home. Must be able to communicate verbally and in writing, both in person and by telephone. The position requires frequent standing, walking, stooping, sitting, reaching; extensive driving and the ability to occasionally lift and/or move up 40 lbs. required.
Travel
There is no anticipated overnight travel for this position. Local day travel is required.
