Master Social Worker - MSW

Fresenius Medical Care•Kenvil, NJ

14d•$60,000 - $101,000

About The Position

The Master Social Worker provides psychosocial services to patients treated by the facility, including in-center and home dialysis patients where applicable. Using social work theory and accepted practice methods, the role works with the healthcare team to promote patients’ positive adjustment, rehabilitation, and quality of life. In collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, the social worker informs, educates, and supports staff in understanding the emotional, psychological, and behavioral impacts of chronic kidney disease on patients and families. The role supports Fresenius Kidney Care’s quality indicators, outcomes, assessment, and improvement activities, including patient satisfaction and quality of life, and participates in process improvement activities. This is an entry-level MSW role.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work.
Must have the state-required license and meet applicable state scope-of-practice board and licensure requirements.
0–2 years of related experience.

Responsibilities

Assess patients’ psychosocial status, strengths, and needs that may affect rehabilitation and treatment outcomes as part of the comprehensive patient assessment.
Collaborate with patients and the healthcare team on care planning and interventions to support rehabilitation, treatment goals, and quality of life.
Use patient education programs, social work methods and interventions, and quality-of-life measurement instruments in assessment and care planning.
Monitor patients and provide interventions to support adjustment to dialysis and optimal psychosocial status and quality of life.
Provide supportive counseling within the scope of clinical training and state licensure, and goal-directed education and counseling for patients seeking transplant.
Refer patients to community resources, including home health services and vocational rehabilitation, and assist with access to vocational and educational rehabilitation programs.
Assess patient awareness of advance directives, assist with accessing information and forms, and facilitate discussions with the healthcare team and family or support persons when needed.
Participate with the physician and nurse in discussions of patient DNR status to support informed decisions by patients and/or families.
Follow applicable social work and patient-function policies, including documentation requirements, and document interactions and interventions with patients and families.
Provide psychosocial support and social work interventions addressing non-adherence, quality outcomes, and quality-of-life concerns based on patient acuity.
Participate in monthly interdisciplinary quality reviews and report indicators related to adherence, missed and shortened treatments, quality-of-life trends, and service recovery.
Assess patient knowledge of kidney disease and barriers to treatment adherence; tailor education to patient learning styles, communication barriers, and needs.
Work with the interdisciplinary team to provide information about treatment modalities, facilitate transplant referrals, and collaborate on transplant waitlist management.
Educate patients and families about psychosocial issues related to ESRD and available support services.
Review patient rights and responsibilities, grievance information, and facility policies with patients or their representatives.
Collaborate with the team on quality assessment and improvement activities.
Review required rights, grievance, nondiscrimination, DNR, and contact information during admission, and address immediate concerns.
Support referral and admission processes and patient scheduling to promote adherence and adjustment.
Interview patients requesting discharge to identify concerns or causes, such as hospice transfer, relocation, or dissatisfaction, and share findings with operational leadership.
Liaise with insurance coordinators to address patient insurance issues and educate patients about dialysis payment sources and entitlement programs.
Coordinate with insurance staff when patient circumstances change in ways that affect coverage, and refer treatment-billing questions to Patient Billing Solutions.
Assist with interviewing and hiring decisions for new personnel when requested by the Social Work Manager or Senior Manager.
Work with administrative support staff to keep patient resource lists, such as transportation resources, up to date.
Provide staff training on psychosocial topics as needed and participate in weekly team huddles, discussing urgent patient issues.
Adhere to caseload guidelines based on state regulatory requirements and perform other related duties as assigned.