Life at Ballwin Ridge Health & Rehab:

We at Ballwin Ridge are leaders within the long-term care industry. Our team consists of experienced, energetic, passionate, and compassionate RNs, LPNs.

Our mission is to foster a positive team environment, promoting collaboration, and continue to grow our reputation for being the preferred source for skilled nursing/long term care within the communities we serve.

What we offer

• Full Benefits
• PTO
• On-going training and support
• And much more!

Position Summary:

The Social Services Worker responsible for assisting in the planning, organizing, implementing, evaluating and directing of the Social Services Department in accordance with current existing federal, state, and local standards, as well as established facility policies and procedures, to ensure that the medically-related emotional and social needs of the patient/resident are met/maintained on an individual basis.

Nursing homes with more than 120 beds are required to employ a full-time social worker with at least a bachelor’s degree in social work or “similar professional qualifications“.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Participates in the planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating and directing of the social service programs of the facility.
• Meets with administration, medical and nursing staff and other related
• departments in planning social services.
• Develops and maintains a good working rapport with intra-department personnel, other departments within the facility, and outside community health, welfare and social agencies, to ensure that social service programs can be properly maintained to meet the needs of the patients/residents.
• Keeps abreast of current federal and state regulations and makes recommendations for changes in policies and procedures to the department director or Administrator.
• Participates in patient/resident assessments, development and implementation of social care plans and discharge planning.
• Interviews patients/residents and/or families in a private setting, as necessary.
• Assists in arranging patient/resident transportation to other facilities when necessary.
• Refers patient/resident/family to appropriate social service agencies when the facility is not the provider of the services or needs of the patient/resident.
• Informs the patient/resident/family of the patient’s/resident’s personal and property rights.
• Provides consultation to members of facility staff, community agencies, etc., to support patient/resident needs and problem resolution through the development of social service programs.
• Creates and maintains an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive emphasis, as well as a calm environment throughout the department.
• Maintains confidentiality of all pertinent patient/resident care information to ensure patient/resident rights are protected.
• Reviews complaints and grievances and makes necessary oral/written reports to the department manager.
• Documents social services notes in a timely and accurate manner, as necessary/directed.
• Supports medically-related emotional needs including assisting patient/resident/family with anxieties and stress caused by illness and admission to the facility, difficulties in coping with residual physical disabilities, fears related to helplessness and death and the need for institutional and specialized care.
• Interprets social, psychological and emotional needs of the patient/resident/family. Then communicates these needs to the medical staff, attending physician and other patient/resident care team members.
• Assists in obtaining resources from community social, health and welfare
• agencies to meet the needs of the patient/resident.

Qualifications:

•  Must possess, as a minimum, an Associates Degree in a human services field, or related social services experience Willing to obtain social service designee
• Must have, as a minimum, one (1) year experience in a human services field in a hospital, skilled nursing care facility or other related medical facility.