Job Description

MedStar Health is looking for a Palliative Care Clinical Social Worker t o join our team at MedStar Washington Hospital Center!  

Reporting to the Palliative Care Manager of Social Services and the Section Director of Palliative Care, the Palliative Care Clinical Social Worker serves on an interdisciplinary consulting team, which aids in the development of palliative care plans for patients and families facing serious illness and end of life in all hospital departments, including emergency services, heart and vascular, general medicine, oncology, and high-risk obstetrics. Coordinates with physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, discharge planning case managers and other disciplines on primary care teams to expedite appropriate , safe, and timely post-acute care plans. Provides direct clinical counseling, mind-body modalities and crisis/grief interventions to patients and families. Develops in-vivo, didactic, and workshop-based educational opportunities to promote the adoption of primary palliative practice by clinicians across the hospital network and in the broader health care field. Leads medical teams in complex case consultations and actively participates in the orientation, training/ development, and education of professional staff. This position includes meeting the needs of and providing services to diverse patient populations.  

Join one of the largest healthcare systems in the Baltimore-Washington metro re gion, also recognized as one of the "Healthiest Maryland Businesses". Apply today and learn how MedStar Health can be your next great career move! 

 
Prima r y Duties:  

• Conducts comprehensive psychosocial assessments to identify personal, family, community, and environmental strengths / barriers to coping with illness, understanding of medical information, acceptance of medical recommendations and participation in care planning. Assesses psychosocial facilitators and barriers to safe and timely discharge. Develops intervention plans based on assessment findings. Uses clinical expertise to engage in interdisciplinary management/coordination of care and assist primary teams with safe discharge planning. Works with primary teams to identif y opportunities for appropriate post - acute care that decreases unnecessary readmissions.  

• Participates in unit- and program-based rounds to integrate palliative care recommendations and practice as part of a comprehensive treatment and discharge planning. Documents all assessments, recommendations, and clinical discharge planning activities in electronic medical records systems according to institutional and social work standards. Provides consultation, assessment, coordination, and referral in cases of child or elder abuse, neglect, domestic violence and/or sexual abuse.  

• Provides supportive counseling and other psychosocial interventions to promote patient and family adjustment to illness, catastrophic diagnoses, changes in living situations, and bereavement. Uses evidence-based practices in the delivery of social work interventions to facilitate patient and family coping, and participation in medical decision-making. Identifies powers of attorney to support medical decision making. Organizes and conducts family meetings to provide updates, convey treatment options and identify plans of care . Serves on faculty of palliative care medical fellowship program, participates in didactic and experiential training to facilitate fellow learning and preparation for board certification.  

• Develops and manages a nine -month social work training program that includes didactic and experiential learning components. Provides weekly supervision in accordance with Association of Social Work Boards requirements to prepare trainees for MSW (Master of Social Work) and professional licensure exam.   

• Serves on advisory committees to provide palliative input to development of institutional policies and practice. Utilizes internal and community-based resources to increase patient and family access to health care services. Participates in improving health services and quality control mechanisms through close collaboration with physicians and other health team members.  

Qualifications:   

• Master's degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.  

• 1-2 years of progressively more responsible job-related experience in a health care setting.  

• LGSW (Licensed Graduate Social Worker) in the District of Columbia .  

• LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker) in the District of Columbia.  

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