Job Overview
Department Overview:
The Medical Social Worker, as a member of a multi-disciplinary team, has the primary responsibility for assessment, counseling, care coordination, information/referral, crisis intervention, patient advocacy and associated services to patients, families, significant others and involved parties/agencies. The efforts are directed at assisting in the patient/family adjustment to illness, injury or disability and secondary adjustment to hospitalization or other treatment, and readjustment to the community. The Department has corresponding teaching and research functions related to health and healthcare delivery practices.
The Medical Social Worker provides direct intervention on an as-needed basis with infants, children, adolescents, adults and elderly patients and/or families. The Medical Social Worker is expected to practice in accordance with performance standards, core values and with a commitment to service excellence. May provide social work services to patients in Adult units, Peds unit and/or ED.
Function/Duties of Position:
- Conducts psychosocial evaluations of patients/families and significant others including, but not limited to the following: adjustment to medical or health condition; care coordination; mental health status; adjustment/compliance to treatment process; substance usage; child and elder abuse/neglect assessments; domestic violence issues; cognitive status (including potential guardian issues); and patient/family resources.
- Provides crisis intervention and supportive short term counseling to patients/families and significant others as necessary to meet immediate psycho-social needs including, but not limited to: Trauma/Emergency Department/ On Call/ Family Notification, CODE Response (family intervention); unanticipated change in health conditions/suicidal ideation; teenage pregnancy; single parent pregnancy/parenthood, domestic violence, child and elder abuse/neglect.
- Provides grief/loss counseling and education regarding: fetal demise; actual/pending death of patient//family member; complicated pregnancies; postpartum depression; chronic/acute stress associated with life circumstances; divorce/separation; loss of independence associated with illness or disability.
- Provides brief psychotherapy including: individual short term psychotherapy; group work including information/support groups, family support, patient therapy); regarding but not limited to issues of adoption, abortion , domestic violence, family of origin, sexual/gender, substance abuse, parenting, relationship adjustment to disabilities and chronic or acute illness.
- Provides patient advocacy and associated services to patient/family and other involved agencies/parties regarding decision-making; advance directives; ethics consultations; court holds; guardianship/conservatorship; citizenship cases; and social cultural factors.
- Assess patient/family support needs regarding: transportation, housing, clothing and educational/patient vocational rehabilitation and training materials and refer to appropriate resources.
- Maintains accurate and timely documentation of patient care activities an efficent manner per departmental policies. Participates in Department of Care Management and assigned service meetings, in services and conferences, as indicated including Complex Patient Interdisciplinary Rounds. Provides support to patient care staff following traumatic events through individual or group consultation. Reviews literature on pertinent patient care/Social Work service issues and conducts in services regarding psycho social patient care issues and Social Work services. Meets in regularly scheduled supervisory sessions. Participates in patient rounds as appropriate. Complete all OHSU/JCAHO mandatory education requirements and activities within established time lines.
- Yearly competencies as identified by department.
Required Qualifications:
- CSWA or LCSW
- MSW
- Must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without accommodation
Preferred Qualifications:
LCSW
All are welcome: Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and culturally competent workforce. We are proud of our commitment to being an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization that does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of any protected class status, including disability status and protected veteran status. Individuals with diverse backgrounds and those who promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply. To request reasonable accommodation contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Department at 503-494-5148 or aaeo@ohsu.edu.
As an organization devoted to the health and well-being of people in Oregon and beyond, OHSU requires its employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
