Medical Social Worker - Full Time - Advanced Illness Management - Battle Creek, MI

Bronson Healthcare•Battle Creek, MI

14h•Onsite

About The Position

Advanced Illness Management Medical Social Worker: Responsible for the delivery of palliative care social work services to all medical areas of the hospital to a variety of patients including pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric populations. Social work in hospice and palliative care can be defined as the discipline that provides a professional continuum of services that address the psychosocial needs of patients and families affected by serious and life-limiting illness in order to maintain, or improve, their optimal quality of life. Social work activities are focused on the biopsychosocial components of health and mental health from a strengths-based perspective, and intervention is based on an evolving plan of care that is developed in the context of, and contributes to the interdisciplinary team’s comprehensive plan of care. In addition to providing direct services to patients and their families, social workers provide leadership in their organizations through community education and the development of resources, services, and programs to meet patient and caregiver needs. Social workers also advocate for policies that promote equal access to care for all populations and ensure high quality and state of the art social work services in all communities. Social workers in palliative and end of life care shall demonstrate a working knowledge of the theoretical and biopsychosocial factors essential to effectively practice with clients and professionals.

Requirements

Masters of Social Work degree with experience of 4 or more years combined in medical social work and hospice or palliative care.
Licensure in the state of Michigan as a Social Worker required (Must be fully licensed, limited license not acceptable).
Must obtain certification as Hospice & Palliative Social Worker within 12-18 months of hire.
Masters Degree Limited License Professional Counselor (LLPC) or Masters Degree Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) Required.
Work which produces high levels of mental/visual fatigue, e.g., interactive and repetitive or small detailed work requiring alertness and concentration for sustained periods of time, the operation of and full attention to a personal computer or CRT between 40 and 70 percent of the time.
Involves regularly lifting of bulky or moderately heavy weights (i.e., up to 50 pounds), and occasionally assisting with heavier tasks or expending the equivalent effort in pushing, pulling, or otherwise handling material, equipment, and other objects.
Demonstrates excellent human relation skills including verbal and written communication, problem solving, advocacy, assertiveness and empathy skills.
Has a customer service orientation.
Demonstrates an attitude of compassion and sensitivity to clients, respecting clients’ rights to self-determination and dignity.
Social workers shall be aware of their own beliefs, values, and feelings and how their personal self may influence their practice.
Will show, and continue to develop, specialized knowledge and understanding about history, traditions, values, and family systems as they relate to palliative and end of life care within different groups.
Social workers shall be knowledgeable about, and act in accordance with, the NASW Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice (NASW, 2001).
Regularly communicates clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, as a demonstration of the function of effective process and relationships with the patient and members of the interdisciplinary team.
Communicates with internal customers such as, physicians, multi-disciplinary team, finance, and management.
Demonstrates effective interviewing, problem-solving and critical thinking in providing services to patients.
Communicates effectively with external customers such as, patients, third party payers, community agencies on a daily basis and often simultaneously.
Regularly utilizes effective negotiation and conflict resolution skills as needed.
Functions as part of an interdisciplinary effort for the comprehensive delivery of palliative and end of life services.
Collaborates with team members and advocates for clients’ needs with objectivity and respect to reinforce relationships with providers who have cared for the patient along the continuum of illness.

Responsibilities

Assessing and enhancing patient/family strengths and coping skills, along with assessing for psychosocial distress and complicated grief.
Identifies patient’s/family’s unique psychosocial & emotional needs
Identifies problems surrounding the crisis situation and may act as patient advocate to ameliorate such problems.
Assesses patient/family risk for psychosocial distress or complicated grief.
Assesses and enhance patient/family strengths and coping skills in order to provide appropriate intervention.
Assesses and enhances the responsiveness of the environment and connecting the patient, family, caregiver with community resources as needed
Identifies psychosocial interventions to be offered as part of the evolving comprehensive plan of care developed in accordance with the patient’s/family’s wishes and the interdisciplinary team
Incorporates assessments in developing and implementing intervention plans that enhance the clients’ abilities and decisions in palliative and end of life care.
Provides intervention for specific symptom relief and to reduce risk for distress
Assesses and manages psychosocial aspects of pain
Screens for psychopathology and abuse and educating and intervening accordingly
Evaluates the efficacy of treatment interventions
Advocates for the needs, decisions, and rights of clients in palliative and end of life care.
Advocates for legislative and organizational policies and procedures that seek to ensure all patients and families facing serious and life-limiting illness have equal access to quality palliative and end of life care.
Identifies the need for, develops plan of care including coordination and scheduling of family meeting, and makes referrals to community agencies and other healthcare specialists.
Plans for patient discharge to ensure the appropriate follow-up treatment and support is available and provided for after leaving the department or hospital.
PC MSW will obtain gas cards, meal passes etc. for patients on service when applicable.
PC MSW will assist with applications for community-based services and provide financial assistance information.
Collaborates and communicates with other members of the patient (providers, chaplain, unit MSW, etc.) care team to understand each situation from different perspectives and recommends or provides immediate treatment and solution focused interventions.
Thoroughly documents each case and enters appropriate information into the computer and on the patient chart.
PC MSW will use EPIC “sticky notes”, along with DCP documentation to communicate to patient care team (i.e. physicians, nurses, unit MSW, etc.) the assigned PC MSW.
Participates in the development of departmental policies, procedures and protocols.
Attends departmental meetings to keep informed of department policies and practices and facilitate team goals, such as performance improvement, staff meetings, speaker presentations, etc.
Attend the daily Palliative Care team meetings.
Attend monthly MSW team meetings and present annually at these meeting to provide PalliativeCare education and information to the MSW department. Also present at two departments other that MSW and PC annually to provide education and Palliative Care information.
Social workers shall have, and shall continue to develop, specialized knowledge and understanding about history, traditions, values, and family systems as they relate to palliative and end of life care within different groups. Social workers shall be knowledgeable about, and act in accordance with, the NASW Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice (NASW, 2001).
Assumes responsibility for one’s own professional development in the field of palliative care.
The hours will flex to the team and patient needs. This includes weekend coverage for the MSW approximately twice each year and holiday rotation.
Identifies and provides for learning needs of patients, families, and health care co-workers.
Develops and supports a positive work climate and the overall team effort of both the Social Work and Palliative Care departments.