LCSW-Social Worker Obstetrics Part-time Days

Northwestern Memorial Healthcare • Huntley, IL

3d

About The Position

The OB Social Worker provides assessments, resources, and mental health support and education for patients and families in labor and delivery, postpartum, and the special care nursery (SCN). The role serves patients experiencing mental health issues, domestic violence, substance abuse, DCFS involvement, or having a newborn in the SCN, and addresses social determinants of health during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The Case Manager/Social Worker reflects Northwestern Medicine’s mission, vision, and values; adheres to its Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program; and follows applicable policies, procedures, guidelines, and regulatory and accreditation standards.

This part-time role works 40 hours per pay period in 8-hour shifts from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The usual schedule is two days one week and three days the next, including a scheduled Monday and Friday within the two-week period. Flexibility is needed to back up department colleagues who are on vacation.

The position also performs broad hospital social work and case management duties, including care coordination and discharge planning, psychosocial assessment and intervention, crisis support, patient advocacy, community resource referrals, and collaboration with patients, families, and interdisciplinary teams. The role participates in Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care (PMSC) services, including care conferences, goals-of-care conversations, family meetings, and inpatient discharge planning and coordination.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in social work.
• Licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in the state of Illinois.
• Three to five years of work experience in a hospital or related setting.
• Critical thinking skills and decisive judgment.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work in a stressful environment and take appropriate action.
• Flexibility to back up department colleagues who are on vacation.

Responsibilities

• Develop individualized treatment plans in collaboration with patients, families, and the healthcare team.
• Coordinate and lead care conferences for patients with lengths of stay greater than seven days.
• Document unusual occurrences and patient relations issues, and make appropriate referrals to risk management, infection control, and quality departments.
• Assess patient and family needs for appropriate discharge services.
• Coordinate transfers to appropriate levels of care, including skilled care, rehabilitation, custodial care, and home health care for complex cases.
• Document discharge planning in the interdisciplinary plan of care, progress notes, and education record when applicable.
• Maintain current knowledge of community resources that support continuity of effective patient services.
• Deliver Medicare discharge appeal rights notices within the required timeframe and detailed discharge notices following appeals for social work cases.
• Review medical records to assess the appropriateness of admissions and continued hospital stays for assigned patients.
• Monitor avoidable days and recommend changes to services or processes.
• Ensure compliance with managed care contracts and length-of-stay targets while maintaining quality of care.
• Develop and educate staff on reducing length of stay and resource use while maintaining quality of care.
• Distribute hospital-issued non-coverage notices.
• Identify cases requiring social work services.
• Collaborate with physicians and other healthcare personnel in patient evaluation and treatment, helping them understand social and emotional factors underlying health problems.
• Advocate for patients’ rights and access to resources that improve treatment compliance and quality of life.
• Identify and validate patient and family psychosocial needs that affect compliance with medical treatment plans, using individual or group conferences to support understanding and acceptance of medical recommendations.
• Provide services and referrals to help patients restore and maintain the best possible social and health adjustment within their capacities.
• Use community resources to help patients resume community life and adapt to disability-related limitations.
• Prepare patient histories, service plans, and reports, and document social work activities accurately and consistently.
• Provide emotional support and counseling to patients and families coping with illness, hospitalization, the dying process, and financial management.
• Report abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and other reportable cases to appropriate authorities; educate and guide other mandated reporters encountering abuse and neglect cases.
• Assist with patient transfers to appropriate treatment facilities, including substance abuse and psychiatric facilities.
• Initiate discussions with families about organ and tissue donation and facilitate referrals to appropriate agencies.
• Serve as a liaison to the ethics committee and assist patients and families with complex ethical decision-making.
• Provide crisis intervention for patients and families, including responding to crisis situations in the emergency room and intensive care unit.
• Assess patients with acute psychiatric illness who require inpatient psychiatric care and transfer them to an appropriate facility.
• Assess at-risk patients for goals-of-care conversations and initiate those conversations.
• Communicate plans of care with attending physicians and interdisciplinary teams.
• Develop programs and educate patients and families about advance directives.
• Provide patient, staff, and community education on health and psychosocial topics.
• Serve as a member of the Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care interdisciplinary team.
• Participate in PMSC care conferences, goals-of-care conversations, and family meetings.
• Perform discharge planning duties for inpatient PMSC patients.
• Serve as the primary social work resource for inpatient PMSC patients for care coordination, emotional support, community resource allocation, and communication with the inpatient and PMSC outpatient social work team.

Benefits

• Competitive benefits are mentioned, with details available through the company benefits website.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Loan forgiveness.
• 401(k) matching.
• Lifecycle benefits intended to support employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level