Social Worker – (MSW) South Allegheny county

Social Worker (MSW) South Allegheny County

You will provide comfort to individuals at one of the most vulnerable times in their life is not only a gift for the family unit but also for yourself.  
You will have the opportunity to work with a wonderful group of professionals who have the common goal of caring for patients at a vulnerable time of life. The Social Worker is responsible for providing complete psychosocial assessments, crisis intervention, individual, family, group, bereavement and end of life counseling, and timely and appropriate discharge planning based on known or anticipated needs.

This role is primary Monday – Friday with some travel to other hospitals within the city of Pittsburgh area. Flexibility in the shift is possible.  Will consider career ladder and MSW with extensive experience. 

Independent worker, comfortable working with individuals at end of life, comfort in counseling, strong psychosocial assessment skills, positive communicator.  Most importantly, you must be a team player. 
You can make this position personal to patients, self.  Legacy projects, veteran ceremonies, remembrance projects are a few things currently completed at the unit.  You will have the opportunity to use skills and talents in the most creative ways.  

Responsibilities:

• Maintain extensive knowledge of federal, state and local assistance programs and community resources that affect patient needs.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify, assess, counsel and effectively intervene with medically and psychosocially complex patients with the ability to understand complex dynamics related to the clinical situation.
• Acts as a mentor to social work students and/or serves as a field instructor to MSW students.
• Successfully utilize therapeutic counseling methods such as crisis intervention, psychosocial support, brief goal-directed therapy, CISM and/or other appropriate therapeutic methods that may be appropriate to the clinical situation.
• Provides accurate, timely and appropriate documentation of all social work interventions in the medical record per regulatory policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate appropriate professional practice, maintaining respect for confidentiality and freedom of choice as outlined by the Code of Ethics by the National Association of Social Workers as well as the State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors.
• Complete a psychosocial assessment that includes social, economic, cultural, age-related and behavioral factors, history of child, elder or domestic abuse, prior psychiatric or substance abuse treatment, family and social support systems and all other available resources as appropriate to the clinical situation.
• Continue to monitor and evaluate the plan of care, options and available services throughout the healthcare setting to effectively meet the patient and family’s need. Reassess the plan of care as status changes or at a minimum of every 3 days.
• Educate and advocate for patients and families to enhance their ability to make informed decisions regarding medical care, discharge planning, advance directives and end of life care including actively participating in the guardianship process when appropriate.
• Demonstrates expertise in accessing social systems by providing resource-specific information to patients and families, initiating contact with appropriate resources and facilitating the patient / family’s ability to accept referrals.
• Demonstrate a knowledge of reimbursement systems, the ability to educate patients and families regarding payer requirements / coverage for post-acute care services and the ability to effectively advocate on behalf of the patient to obtain authorizations for continued care as appropriate.
• Collaborate effectively with the healthcare team, patients and families and relevant community resources to develop and implement and individualized plan of care.