Social Worker, Per Diem
Brigham & Women's Hospital(BWH)

Clinical Social Worker- On-Call- Per Diem- LCSW or LICSW

• Scheduled shifts include evening, night, weekend and holiday hours
• Provides/oversees psychosocial care for patients and families
• Departments: Emergency Department, the Inpatient Medical Surgical and Oncology, OB-Gyn, and the Cardiovascular Center areas

This social work position covers BWH overnights, weekends and holidays. Social work is responsible for psychosocial assessments and counseling to patients who present with interpersonal violence, sexual assault, sudden death, new diagnoses, trauma, homelessness, substance abuse, child, elder, and disabled abuse. Social work is responsible for filing all protective cases at BWH.

• The Clinical Social Worker is a key member of the interdisciplinary team who provides and oversees the provision of psychosocial care for selected patients and families.
• Conducts bio-psychosocial assessments, provides intervention and treatment as indicated.
• Identifies high-risk psychosocial factors of patients/families that impact health status.
• Assumes clinical evaluation, intervention and planning for patients with complex psychosocial risk (homelessness, protective services, frail elderly, disabled, psychiatric and substance abuse, etc.).
• Provides clinical services to patients/families that address psychosocial, environmental, age-specific and cultural issues.
• Collaborates with and provides social work consultation to other disciplines within the setting and community.
• Participates on Departmental, Hospital, Satellite, community task forces and committees.
• The Clinical Social Worker reports directly to the assigned Social Work Manager.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Clinical Practice:

• Provides assessment of patients to evaluate mental health/psychiatric history/emotional issues/coping style, understanding of illness/adjustment/compliance, barriers to care, cultural issues, abuse/neglect and domestic violence.
• Provides psychosocial assessment of families to determine family relationships/systems as they relate to care of the patient. Identifies family decision makers and caregivers; family understanding of illness and trajectory of care. Identifies family coping style, family resources and cultural issues.
• Employs a range of clinical interventions such as individual, group or family counseling. Provides caregiver/family counseling/support to promote family cohesiveness to provide care to patient and prepare families for end of life. Advocates on behalf of patients and families to gain access to services and resources. Refers patients to other providers, as necessary.
• Develops comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessments responsive to age appropriate and cultural needs and concerns. Employs a range of clinical interventions such as psychotherapy (individual, couples, families, and group), psychosocial counseling, crisis intervention, care coordination, complementary therapies, information and referral and safety planning. Advocates on behalf of patients and families to gain access to services and resources.
• Provides mandated assessments when abuse is suspected (child, disabled adult, elder) and safety assessment when domestic violence is reported. Files reports as indicated.
• Identifies patients' psychosocial, financial, legal, psychiatric or substance use that effect patient care management and collaborates with the team to facilitate patient care process.
• Works effectively as part of the interdisciplinary health care team, communicating regularly with the team and other members on cases and as issues arise. Documents timely and relevant information.
• Coordinates family/team meetings, as needed and when appropriate. Provides psychosocial consultation on patient care planning and patient/family management and community resources. Implements psychosocial programs based on patient/family identified needs.
• Facilitates the appropriate and efficient use of hospital and community resources.
• Participates in formal and informal clinical case reviews.

Quality, Utilization Management: High Risk Psychosocial

• Intervenes with appropriate individuals/departments/agencies regarding delays in service that may have an impact on quality of patient care, length of stay or inappropriate patient admissions.
• Reviews patient information for assigned caseload, determines anticipated length of stay and psychosocial barriers to plan of care transitions discharge plan in collaboration with the Nurse Care Coordinator.
• Interacts with home care, community agencies and facilities to ensure safe and timely patient care transitions.
• Negotiates with care coordination team follow-up contact with patient/family, community agency or facility to evaluate the effectiveness of the patient care transitions and identifies problems in service delivery.
• Ensures coordination of the communication process with patient/family concerning the plan of care, including coordination of family meetings and warm handoffs.
• Ensures that patient/family are involved in all phases of the care process to the greatest extent possible.
• Maintains current knowledge of and identifies needs in service delivery within social, governmental , protective services and legal agencies.
• Participates in data collection for departmental quality assessment activities in collaboration with the care coordination department.
• Participates in quality assessment/improvement activities designed to evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of the service delivery system in which care coordination operates.
• Ensures that the patient and family receive consistent information regarding all aspects of care.
• Communicates and collaborates with the Social Work Manager/Team to ensure efficient and quality patient care and equitable caseloads.

Leadership, Teaching and Education:

• Assesses patient/family learning needs, styles and readiness. Educates patients/families based on treatment plan, identifies barriers to care, diversity issues and learning styles.
• Demonstrates expert social work clinical practice within the department and with interdisciplinary staff. Provides education and consultation to interdisciplinary health care providers, social work staff and community on psychosocial issues for patients.
• Demonstrates active, ongoing commitment to professional growth and development of self and creates an environment conducive to the professional growth of others.
• Participates in Departmental and Hospital committees.

Organizational/Administrative Skills:

• Takes responsibility for own administrative duties, including timely and appropriate documentation in patient medical records, timely and accurate daily reporting of activities and Hospital's scheduling systems, and accurate reporting of time worked.
• Provides clinical documentation including psychosocial assessment, progress notes, and billing compliance (if appropriate).
• Attends and participates in Staff Meetings and interdisciplinary meetings/rounds.

Professional Conduct:

Adheres to and fosters compliance with NASW Code of Ethics, and Department and Hospital clinical, quality, compliance and safety standards, policies and procedures.

Patient Population:

Staff member must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his/her assigned areas.

Brigham Health and the Department of Social Work are dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion as we aim to reflect the diversity of the patients in our local community. We have a dedicated focus on equity. Thus, we believe in equal access to quality care, employment and advancement opportunities encompassing the full spectrum or human diversity: race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin and all the other forms of human presence and expression that make us better able to provide innovative and cutting-edge healthcare and research.

Qualifications
QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Master's of Social Work (MSW) Degree from an accredited program required.

Licensure: Current Massachusetts Clinical Social Worker (LCSW or LICSW) required.

Experience: Previous clinical social work experience in a hospital setting preferred.

Language: Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

Your offer of Employment as a Clinical Social Worker, LCSW is contingent upon passing the LICSW exam. The Clinical Social Worker is required to take the exam within 6 months of eligibility and will be allowed a total of 12 months to successfully pass the exam. Failure to pass the LICSW exam (within a 12-month period after eligibility) will result in termination of employment. Individuals who fail to attain LICSW may apply for other vacant positions for which they are currently qualified and will be considered for rehire as a Clinical Social Worker, LICSW once they have passed the LICSW exam.

COMPETENCIES

The Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) is expected to demonstrate the following:

• An understanding of, and comfort working with patients of all ages who suffer complex medical and psychiatric problems; the ability to work with the families of such patients, and the ability to help such patients and families understand and access the resources required to support care
• Ability to provide rapid clinical psychosocial assessments and brief, short and/or long term treatment/management plans with individuals, families, couples and/or groups
• Advanced crisis intervention/treatment/management skills
• Strong assessment, crisis intervention and treatment skills
• Differential diagnosis and treatment with all modalities
• Competence in abuse/neglect/violence, trauma, grief loss and bereavement
• Cultural sensitivity and demonstrated competency in age specific behaviors
• Knowledge of specific medical/psychiatric illnesses, procedures and treatments
• Strong understanding of psychiatric and family system problems, and ability to use this understanding to formulate succinct case summaries
• Appropriate and effective application of knowledge of community agencies/resources
• Ability to advocate/negotiate systems for/with patients and families
• Understanding of the role of social worker in a complex, fast-paced medical environment
• Ability to consult/teach. Ability to communicate effective orally and in writing. Excellent interpersonal skills including negotiation skills necessary to collaborate within a multi-disciplinary team
• Tolerance for ambiguity; analytical skills and computer literacy
• Appropriately employ a sense of humor

Patient Population:

Staff member must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his/her assigned areas.

EEO Statement
Brigham and Women's Hospital is an Affirmative Action Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

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