Social Worker (MSW), Rheumatology Care Team

Nova Scotia Health and IWK Health•Halifax, NS

34d•CA$40 - CA$57•Hybrid

About The Position

IWK Health is an academic health sciences centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing care for children, youth, adults, and families across the Atlantic region. With approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers, and learners, IWK Health focuses on training and mentorship, recognizing talent, and celebrating successes. They collaborate in modern facilities or virtually, aligning work with values, and offering enhanced benefits and wellness programs. IWK Health is committed to promoting an anti-racist environment and addressing discrimination. They acknowledge their location in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people, and the deep history of First Nation and African Nova Scotian communities. IWK Health aims to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging, welcoming applicants who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ to support a workforce representative of the patients and communities they serve. Reporting to the Manager, Children’s Ambulatory Medical Care, the Social Worker practices as a member of a multidisciplinary team to provide social work services to children and their families within the Rheumatology and Gastroenterology services. The role emphasizes patient and family contact through the ambulatory component, with some inpatient contact also required. The social worker will play a key role in counselling patients and families coping with chronic illness and collaborating with teams on programs to support families of children and youth with rheumatologic and gastroenterological medical conditions. The Social Worker provides individual and family intervention, demonstrates knowledge of interdisciplinary services, refers clients/families to appropriate services, liaises with external agencies, and participates in program development and evaluation. Services are provided within a family-centred environment, aligning with the IWK Health Centre's mission and vision. The role includes a rotation for intake services for the Children’s Health Program and on-call responsibilities for the centre-wide Social Work service, as well as back-up coverage for other IWK Social Workers. Duties include counselling, consultation, psychosocial support, advocacy, trauma/crisis support, and resource counselling.

Requirements

Master's Degree in Social Work required
Licensed or eligible for licensure, with the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers required
Minimum two (2) years of experience as a Master's prepared Social Worker required
Clinical experience in individual and family therapy required
Current successful completion of a Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Basic Life Support Level (BLS) Program within the last 12 months, or successful completion of a BLS Renewal Challenge Certificate, is required
Demonstrated knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act is required
Demonstrated knowledge and ability to access health care and community resources required
Ability to develop and internal and external partnerships
Demonstrated organizational, time management, interpersonal, and communication (verbal & written) skills required
Demonstrated ability to work independently, yet working within a multidisciplinary team environment is required
Demonstrated commitment to family-centred care and to continuing team and personal professional development required

Nice To Haves

Pediatric experience is preferred
Experience working with families in critical care situations is an asset
Experience in supporting individuals/families living with chronic disease an asset
Experience with Meditech, GroupWise, and other computer software is an asset
Experience in Motivational interviewing is an asset
Competencies in other languages an asset

Responsibilities

Provide social work services to children and their families being seen by the Rheumatology and Gastroenterology services.
Focus on patient and family contact through the ambulatory component of the service, with some inpatient contact required.
Counsel patients and families coping with a chronic illness.
Work with teams on programs to support families of children and youth with rheumatologic and gastroenterological medical conditions.
Provide predominantly individual and family intervention on a direct, consultative, or monitoring basis.
Demonstrate knowledge of interdisciplinary services and refer clients/families to appropriate services.
Liaise with external agencies to locate and arrange resources.
Participate in program development and evaluation of both teams.
Provide services within a family-centred environment in accordance with the mission and vision of the IWK Health Centre.
Be on a rotation schedule to provide intake services for the Children’s Health Program.
Perform on-call responsibilities for the centre-wide Social Work service.
Provide back-up coverage for other IWK Social Workers when required.
Perform duties including counselling, consultation, psychosocial support, advocacy, trauma/crisis support, and resource counselling.