Pediatric Social Worker (Per Diem, Days)

Nicklaus Children's • Miami, FL

1d

About The Position

Provides social work services to pediatric patients and their families to maximize the benefit of health care services and support adjustment to diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and transition to home and community. The role provides emotional support, advocacy, and community referrals.

The social worker conducts in-depth psychosocial assessments and develops treatment plans, completes pre-discharge screenings, collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on discharge planning, and documents services in the electronic health record. The role also responds to crises, supports families facing end-of-life decisions, and leads responses to trauma, child abuse or neglect, human trafficking, and domestic violence concerns. Per-diem work is scheduled for days, with on-call, holiday, and weekend backup responsibilities noted.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Social Work (required).
• Maintain active CPR HEART certification throughout employment.
• One year of internship or work experience in an acute health care-related field; a social work setting is highly preferred.
• Ability to adapt and react calmly in stressful situations.
• Ability to perform and complete thorough initial assessments.
• Ability to demonstrate strong patient and family advocacy skills.
• Knowledge of diverse cultural and spiritual perspectives regarding death and bereavement.
• Knowledge of community resource systems, diverse treatment approaches, Florida state laws regarding child abuse and domestic violence, Baker Act procedures, HIV/AIDS-related guidelines, and Social Work theories and practices.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive, protected health information.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English.
• Ability to assume on-call, holiday, and weekend backup responsibilities.

Nice To Haves

• One year of experience in a pediatric health care setting.
• Direct work experience with families.
• Previous training focused on end-of-life decisions, grief, and bereavement.
• Expertise in crisis intervention and risk assessment.
• Expertise in pediatric growth and development, including issues related to adolescence.
• Expertise in coordinating and facilitating support groups.
• Bilingual English/Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Complete in-depth psychosocial assessment interviews and formulate treatment plans, establish supportive relationships with families, and provide therapeutic interventions.
• Conduct comprehensive pre-discharge screenings within 24 hours of admission to identify patients’ and families’ needs.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary team members, including case managers, to implement safe, timely, and cost-effective discharge plans or transfers.
• Keep families informed about completed and pending interventions and provide realistic options.
• Document in the electronic health record within 24 hours of communicating with a patient or family, enter team-oriented follow-up notes, and generate Social Work activity reports when requested.
• Make decisions independently, consult a supervisor or director about complex cases, and discuss pertinent cases with fellow social workers.
• Present case-transfer information thoroughly to the next-shift peers.
• Manage the assigned caseload and prioritize cases according to urgency, acuity, and overall impact on families.
• Assist with off-service case assignments and rotations, as well as departmental scheduling and staffing needs.
• Respond promptly to crisis situations and thoroughly address end-of-life feelings and concerns.
• Support patients and families as they face difficult decisions; monitor completion of death packet content, make timely referrals to Life Alliance, and assist families with funeral resources.
• Take the lead on trauma, child abuse or neglect, human trafficking, and domestic violence situations; report cases to appropriate protective service agencies according to hospital policy.
• Respond to requests for information and referrals and serve as a resource to families and team members regarding Social Work services and community agencies.
• Participate in departmental and hospital projects, activities, committees, initiatives, leadership councils, and supportive or educational endeavors.
• Participate in the orientation of new social workers, interns, and multidisciplinary team members; when indicated, serve as a field instructor or task supervisor for Social Work students.

What This Job Offers