PRN- Pediatric Social Work - Capital Caring Health

Chapters Health System • Falls Church, VA

1d

About The Position

The PRN Pediatric Social Worker collaborates with the pediatric interdisciplinary team to support hospice and concurrent-care pediatric patients in the region, including assisting with initial, routine, and emergent visits as needed. The social worker conducts initial and ongoing assessments and makes professional judgments and treatment decisions according to patient and family or caregiver needs and wishes.

The role provides psychosocial assessment and support, helps families access resources and make informed decisions, and collaborates with clinical and community professionals to promote quality and continuity of care. Depending on the applicable service area, responsibilities may include home health planning, hospice and bereavement services, palliative-care support, and—in specified Florida regions—bereavement counseling and volunteer coordination.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or above in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program. Stated grandfathering exceptions apply to certain employees hired before 2009 or before April 21, 2019; a bachelor’s degree may be considered depending on geographic area. Home Health requires an MSW.
• Employees working in Georgia must hold a current Georgia LMSW or LCSW.
• At least one year of experience, including a social work or counseling internship, in a health care or hospital setting.
• Familiarity with and working knowledge of hospice concepts and practices related to death and dying, and palliative care related to serious illness, for both adult and pediatric patients.
• Previous experience using an EMR/EHR system.
• Experience with children, family, and group modalities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and handle the emotional stress of the workload effectively.
• Ability to remain calm and professional, troubleshoot, and intervene in patient or family crisis situations.
• Ability to demonstrate high ethical standards, confidentiality, sensitivity, and flexibility in support of the hospice mission.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work in a team environment and intervene appropriately.
• Valid driver’s license and automobile insurance in accordance with company policy; ability to travel to off-site locations.
• Ability to physically access homes and care facilities, including navigating stairs, narrow spaces, and environments without air conditioning.
• Satisfactorily complete competency requirements for the position.

Responsibilities

• Perform and document psychosocial assessments.
• Empower patients and families to work with resource providers and make decisions on their own behalf.
• Help clinical staff understand family dynamics and social and emotional factors affecting health, and develop nonjudgmental plans to address related issues.
• Maintain timely, complete, accurate, legible, and clear documentation of goals and interventions.
• Consult and collaborate with other professionals to promote quality and continuity of patient and family care.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• For home health, participate in individualized Plan of Care development and case conferences; observe and report clinical symptoms, treatment responses, emotional status, and pertinent changes; anticipate barriers to pain and symptom management; educate about curative and palliative care goals; and respect patient wishes and stated goals.
• For hospice, share responsibility with clinicians and volunteers for patient and family care, including psychosocial support, advance-directive information, Plan of Care development, and other social services as needed.
• For hospice, attend and participate in Interdisciplinary Group meetings, help develop and update the Plan of Care, explain social-service and bereavement aspects of care, and provide the team with patient and family goals and interventions.
• For hospice, evaluate bereavement needs, make condolence calls, assess risk, and coordinate the Plan of Care with Bereavement staff.
• For palliative care, assist with or facilitate patient-family meetings for goal setting and advance care planning, and provide emotional support to patients and families facing serious illness.
• For palliative care, coordinate relevant education and outreach, and liaise among outpatient and inpatient palliative-care teams, discharge planning and social-service departments, and community providers and facilities.
• In the specified Florida Keys and North Florida area, evaluate bereavement needs, provide grief guidance and support, facilitate bereavement and holiday support groups, and potentially attend memorial services.
• In the specified Florida Keys and North Florida area, maintain bereavement documentation and recruit, screen, train, assign, supervise, and evaluate volunteers for patient/family care and other volunteer roles.
• In the specified Florida Keys and North Florida area, help develop and implement volunteer programs and events, maintain volunteer records, and participate in IDG meetings as a liaison between team members and volunteers.
• Represent the company professionally; follow applicable regulations, company policies, and health, safety, security, and confidentiality practices.
• Use resources responsibly, participate in community and professional organizations and quality-improvement activities, develop professional and electronic-media skills, support research and educational activities, and share expertise with coworkers.

What This Job Offers