About the Role
The Social Worker coordinates and provides medical social services to patients and families in various hospice, residential, and hospital settings. Services are provided under the direction of a hospice physician, in conjunction with an interdisciplinary team, and in accordance with an established plan of care.
Responsibilities
- Completes and documents the comprehensive initial psychosocial assessment according to agency policy and timeframe.
- Assesses ongoing needs throughout the course of care and documents in the notes and Plan of Care.
- Develops the plan of care and frequency of contact in collaboration with the patient and caregiver based on their goals for care and identified needs.
- Assesses psychosocial status, emotional factors related to terminal illness, divergent expectations, coping and the need for counseling and support.
- Assesses the existing emotional and social support systems and the need for additional support.
- Assesses need for volunteer support.
- Identifies the developmental level of patient/caregiver, obstacles for learning or ability to participate in care and assists with understanding of goals and interventions.
- Assesses caregiver’s ability to function and provide care, communication abilities, environmental resources and obstacles to maintaining patient safety.
- Assesses the potential risk for suicide and for abuse, neglect or exploitation.
- Assesses quality of life and sense of well-being and the loss of ability to enjoy physical activities and when appropriate, intimate issues.
- Assesses needs related to cultural values and preferences including communication, space, role of family members and special traditions that impact delivery of care and end of life practices.
- Identifies family dynamics and communication patterns including, change in family roles, mental illness and substance abuse issues.
- Assesses the understanding of the diagnosis/prognosis, access to adequate and accurate information and the desire for information and education.
- Evaluates the need for additional resources, respite care or long term care, including the ability to accept the change in level of care and identifies resources and assists with placement.
- Identifies and determines eligibility for community resources, assesses patient/caregiver ability to access them, make referrals and liaisons with community service providers.
- Assesses need for end-of-life decision making and assists with completion of advance directives and final arrangements as requested.
- Assesses financial concerns and assists with accessing financial resources as needed.
- Assesses the caregiver’s risk level for complicated or pathological grief and the need for bereavement support and early intervention.
- Provides support through education and strength-based counseling, crisis intervention, advocacy and mediation/facilitation for end-of-life stressors related to caregiving and death and dying to help manage anxiety, depression and to normalize emotions.
- Evaluates response to psychosocial interventions and satisfaction of services provided.
- Assists members of the IDT in recognizing and understanding the social, emotional, mental stress or disorder that may exacerbate symptoms related to terminal illness.
- May refer to the DSM V as a tool to understand a diagnosis and provide education about the impact of mental illness at end-of-life and how to communicate with the patient and caregiver.
- Facilitates and participates in IDT meetings and other patient care conferences as needed.
- Communicates psychosocial information to inpatient facilities and across care teams when level of care or location is changed to ensure continuity of care.
- Participates in coordination of discharge planning and referrals as needed.
- Evaluates own need for support and self-care, using identified systems to meet needs.
- Recognizes and maintains professional boundaries in relationships with patient/caregiver.
- Abides by minimum expectations for on call rotation.
- Performs POS documentation and completes/signs all documentation according to agency protocol.
- Complies with minimum weekly visits and minimum patient care hours requirements per company protocol.
- Other duties as assigned.
Requirements
- One year experience in a healthcare environment (including volunteer or intern experience).
- Experience in hospice, home-health, or hospital social work (Preferred).
Skills
- Psychosocial assessments
- Client family counseling related to end of life and other co-occurring mental health disorders
- Family mediation
- Establishing treatment plans to address symptomatology
- Offering assistance with community resources
- Strength-based counseling
- Crisis intervention
- Advocacy
- Mediation/facilitation for end-of-life stressors
- Communication
- Documentation
Location
- Spicewood - Austin, TX 78759
Work Type
- PRN
- After hours
Experience Level
- One year experience in a healthcare environment
- Experience in hospice, home-health, or hospital social work (Preferred)
Education Level
- Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
- Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), with an unrestricted license in the State of Texas.
