Description

The Family Support Counselor II supports the mission of We Are Sharing Hope SC (SHSC) by inspiring our community, offering hope and changing lives through the gift of organ, eye and tissue donation. This mission-driven individual is a dedicated and compassionate professional who is responsible for engaging in emotionally challenging end-of-life decisions for organ and tissue donation with families experiencing a sudden and devastating loss while also advocating for potential recipients in need of life-saving or life-enhancing transplants.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

1. Actively contributes to SHSC’s Mission, Vision and Core Values to maximize the gift of organ and tissue donation.
2. Demonstrates flexibility with unpredictable work schedule by serving on a rotating call schedule in order to provide 24/7 response services to patient referrals in the OPO’s Designated Service Area (DSA) hospitals, including nights, weekends and holidays.

3. Obtains psychosocial information needed to determine the legal decision-making hierarchy and family dynamics to best determine the individuals to involve in the donation conversation.

4. Assists as a referral responder, when necessary, and obtains clinical and medical history information needed to determine preliminary suitability for organ donation, in collaboration with an administrator on call (OAOC).
5. Collaborates with an administrator on call (FSC AOC) to establish an appropriate family communication and engagement plan.
6. Utilizes excellent communication and relationship- building skills to deliver the highest caliber of grief support in order to facilitate the family’s understanding of the clinical deterioration as a result of the brain injury. When the patient progresses to brain death the FSC will keep the family informed and educated throughout the testing process so that they comprehend their loved has died.
7. At the appropriate time, the FSC will make an informed and empowering presentation regarding the donation options with the objective of achieving authorization for donation. The FSC will continue to provide care and information to the donor family throughout the donation process.
8. Serves as a resource for our hospital partners to help mobilize their internal support services (e.g. pastoral care, interpreters, etc.) available for potential donor families. This ensures, to the best of the FSCs ability, that the family is satisfied with their hospital experience.
9. Actively contributes to SHSC’s Quality Systems Program and the organizational commitment to excellence by effectively and expeditiously completing duties pertaining to training and professional development, case reviews, data collection and documentation.
10. Develops and contributes to SHSC’s efforts of fostering effective internal & external partnerships to ensure the success of our mission. This includes but is not limited to:
    • Communicating directly with the attending MDs, RNs, Nursing Administration, Chaplains, and Interpreters to ensure we are preserving the option of donation for the potential donor family and the patient.
    • Collaborating in the Coroner and Medical Examiner process when applicable.
    • Participating in SHSC sponsored community related events in honor of our donor heroes and their families (e.g. Candlelight ceremonies, SHSC race, Remembrance Day).
    • Collaborating closely with SHSC Hospital Development Department to ensure cohesive hospital interactions through continuous communication with healthcare staff during referrals, visibility rounds, in services, etc.
11. Ensures the donor family seamlessly transitions from in-hospital Family Support Services to the Aftercare Program by communicating and documenting family information, legacy items provided and tributes performed while in the hospital.
12. The FSC must be flexible regarding work schedule to include the willingness and ability to respond to changing circumstances and expectations readily.
13. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• At least 3 years of prior work experience in social work, counseling, advocacy, public health, public relations, communications; specialization in grief, bereavement and crisis intervention strongly preferred.
• Registered Nurse, LPN, Medical Social Work preferred.
• Knowledge in a medical field, healthcare and/or medical terminology strongly preferred;
• Exceptional communication and organizational skills required.
• Ability to professionally communicate (written and verbally) with diverse constituency including but not limited to families, medical professionals, healthcare leadership and law enforcement representatives.
• Comfortability with public speaking and giving influential presentations to a variety of key audiences as the subject matter expert regarding organ and tissue donation.
• Must have valid state driver’s license.
• Ability to read, write and speak Spanish a plus or,
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.