Job Details: | GENERAL SUMMARY: Full license preferred Provides supportive counseling, psychosocial assessment on each patient/family to determine assistance required, design, implementation and documentation of a casework plan. Assists patients and families in recognizing, understanding, accepting and adjusting to medical problems. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES: * Assesses and evaluates the patient and/or family's social, emotional, cultural, financial and environmental needs and develops a therapeutic plan for intervention with the patient and/or family. Interprets those needs to the attending physician and other pertinent patient care team members. * Provides direct social work service and counseling to patients and their families and/or group of patients and their families in relation to: a. Emotional and psychological problems, which include assisting the patient and family with fears, anxieties and stress precipitated by illness or residual physical disability; fears related to death and dying; counseling in relation to the need for institutional or other specialized care. b. Social and environmental problems, including such areas as arranging for a safe and healthy home environment, discharge planning including collaboration with community agencies, referral to other agencies for specialized help. * Assumes responsibility for fulfilling appropriate social work practice roles on assigned specialty services and on in-patient service. * Provides consultation to the hospital staff, community agencies and other persons seeking guidance to solve problem of patients and their families. * Develops and maintains good working relationships with other hospital personnel and medical staff. * Responsible for accurate documentation of patient records. * Maintains good working relationships with community health, welfare and social agencies. * Participates or assists in department committees, projects, etc., as assigned. * Discovers and develops resources from community, social, health and welfare agencies and adds these to the Department's resource file. * Participates in and initiates hospital in-service programs regarding the social-emotional components associates with illness and their effects on patients and families. * Attends and participates in regularly scheduled Staff Business and Staff Development meetings and performs other related job duties as assigned. Registration and/or certification, as applicable, at all times. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS * Education / Training: A working knowledge of social work practice which includes theoretical and conceptual understanding of communication skills, the relationship process, human behavior, social environment and social policy normally acquired through completion of a Master's level program in Social Work. * Work Experience: Requires a minimum of one year as a clinical social worker in a hospital, mental health or geriatric setting. Impatient Psychiatric experience and discharge planning skills preferred. * Contacts with Others: Strong interpersonal skills in order to counsel patients/families, interact with other hospital staff and outside community agencies. * Analytical Demands: The ability to assess patient and family needs and to develop and implement treatment plans. * Certification, Licensure, Registration: Requires a current an unrestricted Licensed Master Level Social Worker in the State of Michigan Key Word: Social Worker |