Medical Social Worker, Night Emergency Department

Oregon Health & Science University • Portland, OR

3d • Onsite

About The Position

This Medical Social Worker position primarily works in the Emergency Department with a heavy focus on addressing the needs of patients with mental health. Emergency Department Social Workers will regularly complete mental health assessments on patients in mental health crisis, make level of care recommendations (inpatient or outpatient), safety plan with patients and their loved ones, plan for mental health follow up, and adhere to all relevant statutes related to mental health discharges. OHSU is a Level One Trauma Center, and Emergency Department Social Workers support patients and their loved ones during mild, moderate, and severe trauma-related admissions. The Social Worker will review the POLST registry, surrogate decision-making documents, and notify next of kin or surrogate decision-maker of admission. The Social Workers provide support to the loved ones of patients that are critically ill or die. The Emergency Department is a 24/7 service, and there may be times when the Medical Social Worker is required to work outside their normal schedule, including overnight or during the day, and respond to last-minute staffing needs sent via text message at varying hours.

Requirements

• A Master’s Social Work (MSW) required.
• Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) required for employees who practice clinical social work.
• Requires prioritization.
• Frequent interruptions in an environment of frequent change and fluctuations.
• For inpatient units accepts accountability and responsibility.
• May be exposed to body fluids, tissue, possible radiation exposure, and infectious processes.
• Subject to computer work for several hours, as needed.
• Able to utilize office equipment within work area.

Nice To Haves

• Health care experience preferred.
• Bilingual language skill are strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Conducts psychosocial evaluations of patients/families and significant others including, but not limited to: adjustment to medical or health condition; care coordination; mental health status; adjustment/ compliance to treatment process; substance usage; child and elder abuse/neglect assessments; domestic violence issues; cognitive status (including potential guardian issues); and patient/family resources.
• Provides crisis intervention and supportive short-term counseling to patients/families and significant others as necessary to meet immediate psycho-social needs including, but not limited to: Trauma/Emergency Department/ On Call/ Family Notification, CODE Response (family intervention); unanticipated change in health conditions/suicidal ideation; teenage pregnancy; single parent pregnancy/parenthood, domestic violence, child and elder abuse/neglect.
• Provides grief/loss counseling and education regarding: fetal demise; actual/pending death of patient/family member; complicated pregnancies; pregnancy termination support, postpartum depression; chronic/acute stress associated with life circumstances; divorce/separation; loss of independence associated with illness or disability.
• Provides brief psychotherapy including individual short-term psychotherapy; group work including information/support groups, family support, patient therapy); regarding but not limited to issues of adoption, abortion, domestic violence, family of origin, sexual/gender, substance abuse, parenting, relationship adjustment to disabilities and chronic or acute illness.
• Provides patient advocacy and associated services to patient/family and other involved agencies/parties regarding decision-making; advance directives; ethics consultations; court holds; guardianship/ conservatorship; citizenship cases; and social cultural factors.

What This Job Offers

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