Trauma Social Worker

Our team members are the heart of what makes us better. At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community.

Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

The Trauma Social Worker is a member of the healthcare team and is responsible for coordinating, communicating and facilitating the clinical progression of the patient's treatment and discharge plan. Accountable for a designated patient caseload. The Trauma Social Worker assesses, plans, and facilitates, with patients/families and healthcare professionals involved in the patients care to meet treatment goals, expected length of stay, and arrange for the appropriate next level of care.

Oversees Inter facility transitions and hand-off between acute & post-acute services, in collaboration with the Care Coordination team. Follows State of New Jersey regulation for Social Work.

A day in the life of a Trauma Social Worker at Hackensack Meridian Health includes:

• Assesses all patients who are admitted for medical care to the trauma service, screens for mental health needs and potential discharge needs regardless of race, age, sex, religion, diagnosis and ability to pay. Meets directly with patient/family to assess needs, develop and implement an individualized plan in collaboration with the physician and other members of the health care team.
• Facilitates communication and coordination between members of the health care team and involves the patient/family in the decision-making process, in order to minimize fragmentation of services, manage resources and remove barriers to the plan of care.
• Provides social work intervention to patients and families to assist their ability to cope with traumatic injury and stress.
• Maintains current and up to date information of community resources and refers patients to those community resources which will enhance the patient's life. Consults with other community agencies and committees to identify potential resources to support patients and their families.
• Works collaboratively with all team members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team to effect timely and appropriate transitions to the next appropriate level of care and to ensure maximum benefit for each patient in the least restrictive environment that best meets the continuing care needs of the patient.
• Ensures provisions of continued care at home or in an appropriate extended care facility based upon the patient needs. Confirms the patient has a primary care provider upon discharge or refers appropriately to an ACO or FQHC
• Provides crisis intervention and emotional support to patients/families, including individual, group, and family counseling sessions in both the inpatient and outpatient setting (under the supervision of an LCSW, if applicable).
• Responds to trauma codes to assist in the patient and family's support. Assists in gathering and proper notifications of family and community resources.
• Documents and communicates information to the Multidisciplinary Team in order to coordinate and maximize care. Coordinates with the Care Coordination team to ensure that the EMR reflects the education, coordination of home care services, and placement in an extended care facility, durable medical equipment, and referral to complex care management team, ACO navigators and authorizations from providers.
• Participates actively on appropriate committee (i.e. Trauma Systems committee),…