Master of Social Worker Hospice

Position Summary 

Hospice social workers help clients, and their families navigate planning for end-of-life care; understand their treatment plan and be vocal about their needs; manage the stresses of debilitating physical illnesses, including emotional, familial, and financial; overcome crisis situations; and connect to other support services. Hospice workers are advocates for patients and their families, and to know what their clients need and what resources are available within and outside of hospice settings to help them.

Hospice social work is challenging work, as it involves helping people through difficult and stressful times of their lives. However, the rewards may include making strong connections with people, learning, and celebrating their life stories, and having a positive impact on clients and their families. Operates in full compliance of established company policies, procedures, and standards for company operations with the highest degree of company expectations, industry standards and legal compliance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities                                           

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Executes and enforces compassionate care for patients, families, and our community at the highest level of excellence to uphold the image of Hospice of Havasu. 
• Provide social services including short-term individual counseling, crisis intervention, assistance in providing information and preparation of advance directives and funeral planning issues, and transfer of responsibilities regarding fiscal, legal and health care decisions

• Provides emotional support, counseling and guidance for patients and families caregivers as you cope with end-of-life issues.
• Identifies community resources which are available to help patients and families.

• Offers information on living wills and/or Durable Power of Power Attorney for Health Care.

• Assists patients and families with planning including hired caregivers, funeral arrangements, etc.
• Offers information on living wills and/or Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.
• Completes visits and check-ins with patients and families.
• Documents, care plans, and charts patient interactions in electronic medical record.
• Collaborates with IDT and hospice nurse case managers to best assist hospice patients and families.
• Attends IDT case conference meetings with hospice personnel to facilitate the coordination of care and discussion of IDT involvement.
• Assures compliance with all local, state and federal laws regarding licensure and certification and maintains compliance to hospice standards.
• Stays informed about changes in the field of social work and hospice care, shares information with appropriate organization personnel.

• Other duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Education, and Abilities)

• Possess and Maintain MSW from a school Accredited by The Counsel of Social Work, and any applicable CEU’s
• Maintain current CPR Certification
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral), including the ability to lead discussions in diverse groups of varying size.
• Well organized, detail oriented and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Advanced level competency in electronic medical record software.
• Must possess and maintain; a valid AZ driver’s license, clean driving record, and maintain company insurance qualification of minimum coverage as follows: $100,ooo Per Person Bodily Injury, $300,000 Per Incident and $50,000 Property Damage Personal Insurance Policy. 

Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, or crouch and talk or hear.  DOL Strength Rating Light Work - The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Physical demands are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Job Exposure Risk Category 1 – All job-related tasks involve an inherent potential for body fluid exposure. Personal Protective Equipment and safe work practices MUST be utilized as applicable. 

Note:

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.