Hospice Social Worker - ProHealth Home Health and Hospice - Birmingham, AL

Social Worker/Social Work Assistant

Reporting Relationship

Supervised by: Director/Manager of Patient Services/Medical Director
Positions Supervised: N/A
Interrelationships: Patients, family, IDG and other health care team members

Job Summary

To deliver varied social work services to Hospice patients and their families.
To provide initial emotional, spiritual, psychosocial assessments, ongoing
counseling, bereavement services and community education, outreach and referral.
The Hospice social worker is an integral part of the Hospice IDG.

Qualifications

Educational/Degree and A Hospice Social Worker must at least meet one of the

following Training/Licensure: options

1. Have an MSW degree from a school of social work accredited by the Council on
Social Work Education (CSWE), and one year of experience in a health care
setting.
2. Have a baccalaureate degree in social work (BSW) from a school of social work
accredited by the CSWE, and one year of experience in a health care setting and
be supervised by a MSW from a school of social work accredited by the CSWE and
who has one year of experience in a health care setting. If the BSW is employed
by the Hospice before December 2, 2008, he/she is exempted from the MSW
supervision requirement.
3. Have a baccalaureate degree in psychology, sociology or other field related
to social work, and at least one year of social work experience in a health care
setting and be supervised by a MSW from a school of social work accredited by
the CSWE and who has one year of experience in a health care setting.
Hospice must also defer to State law regarding social work requirements. If
State requirements are more stringent, Hospice must comply with the State
requirements. For example, if the State requires a social worker to have a BSW
or an MSW, the Hospice may not employ a person with a baccalaureate degree in
psychology, sociology or other field related to social work to work as a Hospice
Social Worker. Hospice must employ or contract with at least one MSW to serve in
the supervisor role as an active advisor, consulting with the BSW on assessing
the needs of patients and families, developing and updating the social work
portion of the plan of care and delivering care to patients and families.
Supervision may occur in person, over the telephone, through electronic
communication or any combination thereof. Hospice will allow time for the
supervision on a regular basis and provide documentation as to the nature and
scope of supervision. Hospice also ensures that non-social work trained
bachelor’s prepared employees filling the role of social worker are supervised
by a MSW who graduated from a school of social work accredited by the CSWE and
who has at least one year of experience in a health care setting.  Social
workers with a baccalaureate degree from a school of social work accredited by
the CSWE and who are employed by Hospice before December 2, 2008, are exempted
from the MSW supervision requirement. If Hospice hires a new Social Worker with
a baccalaureate degree and one year of experience in a health care setting after
December 2, 2008, then the baccalaureate Social Worker must be supervised by an
MSW who has one year of experience in a health care setting.
Knowledge/Skills/Ability: Ability to work independently, make accurate, and at
times, quick judgments. Ability to respond appropriately to crisis outside of a
hospital setting. Acceptance of and adaptability to different social, racial,
cultural and religious modes.
Experience: Minimum 2 years of experience as a social worker, preferred. 
Active patient contact within past three years, preferred.

Job Factors

Physical Requirements:
Requires minimal physical effort most of the day including kneeling, squatting,
reaching, twisting, climbing, walking, exposure to temperature and humidity
changes and minimal assist in lifting and/or transferring of a 20 pound patient.
Must possess sight/hearing senses or use appropriate adaptive devices that will
enable senses to function at a level required to meet the essential duties of
the position. Must provide evidence of annual TB test and other state-required
tests or examinations.

Mental Requirements

Must be able to work independently, make judgments based on assessments and data
available and act accordingly. Must be flexible, innovative and possess good
interpersonal skills. Must be able to cope with mental and emotional stress and
demonstrate emotional stability.

Working Conditions

Be able to tolerate exposure to elements including, but not limited to, odors,
blood, body fluids and excrements, adverse environmental conditions and
hazardous materials.

Transportation

Must have a current valid driver’s license, auto liability insurance and
reliable transportation.

Essential Functions

1. Performs initial psychosocial, emotional, spiritual and bereavement
assessments and assists in the development and implementation of goal-directed
IDG care plan.
2. Conducts ongoing reassessments of patient/family needs and counseling as
required.
3. Provides short term crisis intervention and individual or family counseling
when indicated.
4. Provides services, under the direction of a physician (who approves plan of
care).
5. Participates as a member of the Bereavement Team as assigned.
6. Observes, assesses and brings to IDG conferences information regarding
psychosocial, emotional, spiritual, physical and financial conditions affecting
the patient and family.
7. Assumes the active role of advocate for the patient/family unit.
8. Develops and maintains contact with appropriate community agencies and
services in
order to promote interagency cooperation and to facilitate related referrals.
9. Documents comprehensive psychosocial, emotional and spiritual assessment
clearly and concisely in a timely manner.
10. All patient/family visits, telephone contacts and referral actions are
recorded in the patient record per policy.
11. Provides ongoing counseling related to issues of death and dying to the
patient and family as needed.
12. Attends staff meetings, IDG and other meetings as assigned and appropriate.
13. Participates in the orientation program as assigned.
14. Adheres to all Hospice policies.
15. Assumes responsibility for own personal and professional development and
maintenance
of skills in social work.
16. Exhibits Hospice philosophy in all job-related roles.
17. Other duties as assigned by Director/Manager of Patient Services.