General Statement of Duties:  Reports to the Home Hospice, Admissions Services or Inpatient Team Leader.  Provides social work services to patients and families in collaboration with other IDG members, volunteers and community resources.

Functions:

1. Provides a consistent high quality hospice experience for every patient and family served by:

a. Soliciting and identifying patient and family goals

b. Complying with established social work visit structure

c. Flexibility to manage frequency and duration of visits based on patient/family needs

2. Provides assessment, planning, intervention and ongoing evaluation of psychosocial function to meet assigned patient and family needs/goals by:

a. Making recommendations to members of the IDG and volunteers on ways to support the patient and/or family.

b. Assisting patients and families with personal, environmental and financial difficulties by making use of available resources.

c. Actively participating in IDG and family meetings to provide input on patient care and team support.

d. Providing patient/family counseling related to planned health care services.

e. Utilizing community resources to assist the patient/family to meet goals. 

3. Communicates timely and effectively with the appropriate Team Leader/designee, physicians, patients, families, contracted vendors and community resources.

4. Coordinates with other members of the team the change in level of care or location of assigned patients.

5. In collaboration with Chaplains, provides bereavement support to families when appropriate.

6. Develops and provides education to Coastal Hospice staff, volunteers and community members regarding the emotional and social dimension of hospice patients.

7. Maintains continuity and consistency of care by:

a. Recording all pertinent information in a concise, effective manner according to organizational standards.

b. Completing documentation in the patient’s electronic medical record by the Works collaboratively with other social workers to meet program needs. 

c. Providing hand off communication according to established policy and procedure.

8. Promotes high quality patient care and team operations by:

a. Functioning within Coastal Hospice Policy and interdisciplinary care model in meeting team goals.

b. Supervises social work interns as requested by the Team Leader and/or Social Work Resource Coordinator.

c. Maintaining effective professional relationships with referral sources, community agencies and other health care partners.

d. Participating in the on-call rotation for weekend coverage as assigned.

e. Utilizing Medical Social Work Resource Coordinator for complicated patient/family issues or concerns related to the Social W

9. Works collaboratively with other social workers to meet program needs.

Masters degree in Social Work from an accredited school. 

2 years experience in hospital, long term care or hospice setting. 

Current license in the state of Maryland, LCSW preferred.