Prelicensed Social Worker

Fresenius Medical Care•Detroit, MI

About The Position

Provides psychosocial services to in-center and, where applicable, home dialysis patients using social work theory and accepted social work practices. Works with the healthcare team to promote patient adjustment, rehabilitation, and quality of life, and helps staff understand the emotional, psychological, and behavioral effects of chronic kidney disease on patients and families. Supports quality indicators, outcomes, quality assessment and improvement activities, patient satisfaction, and process improvements. This is an entry-level MSW role. The Social Worker assesses psychosocial needs and strengths, participates in collaborative care planning, provides appropriate counseling and education, and helps patients access community, vocational, educational, transplant, and financial resources. The role also supports patient admission and continuity of care, addresses insurance-related concerns in collaboration with Insurance Coordinators, contributes to staff education and team huddles, and follows applicable social work policies, documentation requirements, caseload guidelines, and state supervision and licensure requirements.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work.
State temporary license, Registered Social Worker Clinical Intern credential, Associated Social Work license, or Provisional LCSW License, if required by the state.
Obtain the state licensure needed to work independently without supervision within the first two years or as required by state guidelines.
0–2 years of related experience.

Responsibilities

Assess patients’ psychosocial status, strengths, and needs that may affect rehabilitation and treatment outcomes.
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 measures in assessment and care planning.
Monitor patients’ adjustment to dialysis and provide interventions to support psychosocial status and quality of life.
Provide supportive counseling within the scope of clinical training and state licensure.
Provide education and goal-directed counseling to patients seeking transplantation.
Connect patients with community resources, including home health and vocational rehabilitation services.
Maintain knowledge of local vocational and educational rehabilitation programs and assist patients with referrals and access.
Assess patient awareness of advance directives and assist with forms, information, and discussions as needed.
Participate with the physician and nurse in discussions of patient DNR status to support informed decisions.
Follow social work and patient-function policies, including documentation requirements; document interactions and interventions.
Provide psychosocial support and focused interventions concerning non-adherence, quality outcomes, and quality-of-life concerns.
Participate in monthly interdisciplinary quality reviews and report on adherence indicators, quality-of-life trends, and service recovery.
Assess patients’ kidney-disease knowledge and barriers to treatment adherence; tailor education to learning style, communication barriers, and needs.
Provide information about treatment modalities with the interdisciplinary team.
Facilitate transplant referrals and collaborate on transplant waitlist management.
Educate patients and families about ESRD-related psychosocial issues 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 admission materials and address immediate patient needs or concerns.
Support referral and admission processes, including scheduling needs that promote adherence and adjustment.
Interview patients requesting discharge to identify concerns or causes and share them with operational leadership.
Work with Insurance Coordinators as a patient liaison on insurance issues and educate patients about dialysis payment sources and assistance programs.
Inform Insurance Coordinators of patient-status changes affecting insurance, such as transplantation, discharge, loss of coverage, or extended travel.
Refer patients to the patient billing solutions department for treatment-bill questions or concerns.
Assist with interviewing and hiring decisions when requested by the SW Manager or Senior Manager.
Work with administrative support staff to keep patient resource lists current.
Provide staff training on psychosocial topics as needed.
Participate in weekly team huddles and discuss urgent patient issues with staff.
Follow caseload guidelines based on state regulatory requirements and work under appropriate supervision where required.
Perform other related duties as assigned.