Social Worker Home Health/Hospice

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE:

1. Bachelor's degree in Social Work.

2. Current licensure to practice Social Work in the appropriate state where services will be provided.

3. Valid driver's license.

4. CPR certification within 30 days of date of hire.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

EXPERIENCE:

1. One (1) year of social work experience in health care.

2. Experience in hospice.

3. Experience with counseling individuals or groups.

4. Experience with psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual assessment.

CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be constructed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties. Other duties may be assigned.

1. Communicates patient care problems or potential problems to the Director and/or other IDT members as they are identified/occur to assure continuity and coordination of care.

2. Completes comprehensive assessment to develop a safe, realistic discharge plan of care appropriate for the patient.

3. Documents patient status and care or services finished in appropriate areas as defined by the documentation standard. Documents full and accurately on progress note each visit. Identifies staff of death and dying.

4. Assesses changes in the physician's plan of care and the impact on the discharge plan. Initiates discharge planning in collaboration with care management team. Insures discharge needs are met prior to discharge.

5. Provides appropriate documentation of intervention, patient response, effectiveness, complications, and other patient information.

6. Reviews care plan on an ongoing basis and communicates changes in the plan to the appropriate parties.

7. Documents care plan in the patient's chart on a frequency that communicates the plan to interdisciplinary team.

8. Completes appropriate referrals to community agencies such as Medicaid Waiver, Senior Center, Summit Center, Meals-on-Wheels, Indigent Drug Programs, Etc. Identifies abuse and neglect and refers to appropriate agencies.

9. Accesses each patient for need of advance directive. Identifies decision maker of medical {financial, if indicated) or if there is an existing Medical Power of Attorney designee and presence of Living Will or other advanced directives. Assists patient in completion of Living Will and Medical Power of Attorney forms as requested.

10. Uses the assessments performed by the IDT to develop a plan of care and collaborates with IDT to plan for change in level of care.

11. Performs needs assessments reflecting patient/family psychosocial, emotional, spiritual, financial, and age-specific criteria upon admission and each visit thereafter, including development of an interdisciplinary care plan that address any assessed needs.

12. Assists in planning, implementing and evaluating QI strategies.

13. Provide care, based on physical, psychosocial, communication, safety, education level, and related criteria for the infant, pediatric, adolescent, adult, geriatric patient per the established age-specific standard.

14. Contact and coordinate necessary and available local, state, and federal support services.

15. Refers patients and/or families to a wide-range of community services; during hospice services and after discharge including but not limited to provision of health care coverage, income maintenance programs, transportation services, etc. by completing agency specific referral forms

16. Refers patients to appropriate long term care facilities according to the facility's specified referral process, arranges transfer to long-term care and documents those arrangements in medical record

17. Participates in education of the public regarding the hospice concept through public speaking

18. Provides emotional support for other team members as they deal with their own feelings and emotions associated with working with the terminally ill.

19. Provides direct and indirect bereavement and spiritual counseling to the patient and family.

20. Serves as coordinator of Bereavement Services as evidenced by: Development of bereavement policies. Coordination of Bereavement Program. Schedules bereavement groups and facilitates group to meet the needs of the hospice families/communities. Organizes and implements at least 2 programs annually for the past patients' bereaved families/significant others. Assures bereavement follow-up as outlined in the bereavement. Develops programs to meet community needs (i.e., Children Bereavement Programs)

21. Communicates patient care problems or potential problems to the director, Hospice and/or other IDT members to assure continuity and coordination of care.

22. Serves as patient advocate, in regards to medical ethics issues, acting as a liaison between the patient, family, and others to protect the patient's rights.

23. Assists with orientation of new Associates and volunteers in bereavement and spiritual care issues.

24. Provides or arranges counseling to meet the psychosocial, emotional and spiritual needs of the patients/family members/caregivers in a manner consistent with their beliefs and desires and in accordance with the patient's plan of care.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Must have the ability to move freely through the facility to perform daily and special tasks.

2. Must be able to drive and have a valid WV driver's license.

3. Frequent walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, reaching, pushing, pulling, lifting, and grasping are necessary body movements utilized in performing duties throughout the work shift.

4. Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

5. Hearting within normal range is required.

6. Visual acuity within normal range is required.

7. Must be able to sit for extended periods reading charts, files, etc.

8. Must be able to drive in adverse weather conditions.

WORKINGENVIRONMENT:The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Exposure to bodily fluids, human tissues, contagious diseases, sharps, and explosive gases.

2. Exposure to cleaning agents and disinfectants.

3. Exposure to toxic gases, fumes, and odors.

4. Exposure to high stress and constant interruptions.

5. Exposure to electrical current.

6. Exposure to bad road conditions.

7. Exposure to wind, rain, snow, sleet, mud, high and low temperatures, animals and insets, and hazardous roadways.

8. The majority of work is performed in the patient's home and may require extensive travel.

9. Subject to unpredictable situations. May be exposed to adverse or unpleasant home environments.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

1. Ability to communicate effectively, both verbal and written.

2. Must be capable of handling information of a confidential nature.

3. Must have the ability to work successfully under highly-stressful conditions, and must be capable of adapting to varying workloads and work assignments on a constant basis.

4. Must have the ability to comprehend and perform oral and written instructions and procedures.

5. Must have effective reading and comprehensive skills.

6. Must have strong communication skills, written and verbal.

7. Must be able to work weekends, holidays, and all shifts.

8. Must be able to prioritize tasks.

9. Must have independent decision-making ability.

10. Must have basic math skills.

11. Must have ability to respond to emergency situations in a calm, professional manner.

12. Ability to communicate effectively, both verbal and written.

13. Must be capable of using computers to input and retrieve information.

14. Demonstrates knowledge of and adherence to patients' rights.

15. Demonstrates knowledge of compliance of Federal, State, and Local regulations/laws.

Additional Job Description:

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

Shift:

Exempt/Non-Exempt:

Company:

Cost Center:

Address:

WVU Medicine is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. We value diversity among our workforce and invite applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, language, national origin, religious affiliation, spiritual practice, age, mental and physical ability/disability or Veteran status.