Social Worker - LMSW- Palliative-Lourdes Main Campus

Job Description

The Palliative Care Social Worker provides comprehensive psychosocial support and counseling to patients and their families as they navigate the challenges of serious illness, end‑of‑life care, and bereavement. The position is an integral part of the interdisciplinary palliative care team, working collaboratively with the entire care team to ensure that patients and families receive holistic care that aligns with the mission and values of the health system.

This position includes facilitating family meetings, working with anticipatory grief and difficult family dynamics, understanding placement options and appropriate social, financial and legal services.

• Maintain continuous documentation of productivity for the department.
• Collect data for the purpose of Continuous Quality Improvement.
• Obtain basic information that is needed through the computer system.
• Record in patient’s charts with accuracy and timeliness on behalf of the patient as necessary.
• Provide on‑call service on a rotating basis with other members of Social Service staff.
• Collaborate and participate with other staff members by sharing referrals, taking extra calls, answering telephones, etc., in order to meet patients’ needs in the absence of another staff member.

• Demonstrates clinical expertise in the ability to assess patients’ and/or families’ needs particularly as related to illness and hospitalization.
• Demonstrates the ability to develop a comprehensive and effective discharge plan through collaboration with other health care providers for the purpose of continuity of care.
• Demonstrates knowledge and mastery of a variety of therapeutic interventions.
• Demonstrates expertise in all aspects of Social Work related to patients and/or families contingent on diagnoses, age and level of care.
• Demonstrates knowledge regarding the effects of illness and hospitalization on the patient and family systems.
• Participates in the education of patients, families and medical staff regarding psychosocial issues and community resources.
• Serves as a resource for the development, implementation, and revision of Policies and Procedures, Standards of Care and Standards of Practice.
• Develops and assists in the provision of support systems in the acute, ambulatory and community settings.
• Utilizes Social Work expertise to assist appropriate organizations to address health care needs in the community.
• Serves as patient advocate thus promoting patients’ rights.
• Makes good professional decisions independently when the situation requires this.
• Facilitates patient staffing meetings with interdisciplinary teams weekly or bi‑weekly regarding the specific needs of patients.

• Consistently performs 12 organizational Service Standards focused on Values, Service and Quality.

• Education:
  
  Master’s Degree Social Worker.
• Licensure: RSW required upon hire and required to obtain LMSW within 6 months.