Social Worker

Margaret Mary Health•Batesville, IN

14d•Onsite

About The Position

Provides psychosocial support and assistance to MMH patients and families. Offers intervention to resolve issues interfering with patient care. Clinical services include assessment, counseling, education, discharge planning, and service/resource referral. Social workers advocate for patients to ensure their medical, emotional, and social needs are met during their hospital stay and upon discharge. They consider factors such as mobility, accessibility, insurance, and potential challenges patients/families may face. Crisis intervention tasks include mental health emergencies, ER emergencies for placement (nursing home or psych), and family emergencies that may require reporting to Child Protective Services or Adult Protective Services. They respond to emergencies related to housing, medication costs, mental health, need for placement, and other barriers to medical care, safety, or daily living. Social workers identify appropriate candidates for the MMH Transitional Care program, drive referrals to the clinical team, and assist with discharge planning for Transitional Care patients. They collaborate with various departments including med/surg & SCA, OB, ER, outpatient PCP offices, and external agencies.

Requirements

Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Social Work
A minimum of 1 years related work experience required
Must be licensed as a Social Worker in the state of Indiana
Strong verbal communication, listening & counseling skills as well as ability to work from a team approach with other disciplines.
Comfortable in crisis situations including mental health crisis or situations that warrant report to Department of Children’s Services or Adult Protective Services.
Ability to consistently multi-task and complete charting in a timely manner despite heavy workload and time sensitive tasks.
Ability to foster and maintain strong relationships with patients, families, other disciplines, management and our community partners.
Must be able to operate a computer, copier, fax machine, phone, & automobile.

Responsibilities

Serves in the discharge planning role in the multi-disciplinary team including Hospitalist, Pharmacist, RN, PT/OT, patient/family members, and others.
Accurately collaborates with MD and RN as needs are identified; continuously collaborates with patient/family/ other providers as needed.
Reports sentinel events or incidents as warranted.
Reassesses patient in response to changes in condition after intervention as needed & documents in her.
Provides interventions in a timely & appropriate manner & documents in EHR.
Communicates with & provides education to patients, caregivers, & family members in a timely manner (using respect & dignity when dealing with death & dying) & documents in EHR.
Assesses high risk patients within 48 hours of referral.
Attends interdisciplinary Hospitalist Rounds for assigned rotation; facilitates continuous discussion of discharge need and plans with this multi-disciplinary team at the bedside with patients & families.
Uses interpreters or other resources to prevent language/hearing barriers.
Demonstrates ability to access information on various types of adoptions and legal guidelines.
Provides support and linkage to community resources to include WIC, Medicaid, food pantries, substance abuse treatment, behavioral health services, etc. for expecting or new mothers/fathers.
Demonstrates knowledge of child abuse, endangered adult abuse, and domestic violence; has ability to identify suspected abuse and reports according to legal guidelines.
Demonstrates ability to develop rapport with patients and families with diverse cultures, values, and life experiences.
Provides education to individuals on how systems work and how to access services.
Encourages self-determination of individuals when developing discharge plan.
Provides updates, comprehensive resource list to meet patient needs.
Serves as an advocate on behalf of the patient to access services; ensures patient’s preferences are heard.
Accepts the possibility of people/family/staff changing their minds.
Provides education to patients and family and documents in EHR in a timely manner.
Initiates discharge planning on all high-risk patients and follows up as needed.
Assess new patients at the oncology center no later than second visit to center.
Provides folder and notebook to all new patients on first visit.
Provides education to family/patients on community resources and financial assistance for health care and medications.
Provides linkage to patients for assistance in applying for Social Security and Medicaid.
Provides patient and family support as needed.
Serves as a community educator as needed.
Serves as support group or discharge planning discussion facilitator as needed.
Identifies appropriate candidates for MMH Transitional Care in Hospitalist rounds, communicates the candidate’s needs to the entire clinical team and initiates the referral from start to finish, communicates to the patient/family whether the referral has been approved or denied (if denied, makes alternative referrals), serves as the discharge planner throughout the Transitional Care stay, and can often be called to facilitate interdisciplinary Team meetings when needed.