ONCOLOGY SOCIAL WORKER

SUMMARY AND PURPOSE: 

Provides advocacy, education, timely bio-psycho-social and environmental interventions for patients, and families as appropriate to achieve an optimal level of care. The MSW strives to promote wellness, improved care outcomes, and efficient utilization of health services through developing a relationship with patients. To help achieve quality clinical and cost outcomes, the social worker incorporates real-time contacts with medical staff, hospital personnel, and outside organizations to establish specific treatment, cost and transition targets and facilitate transition planning.   

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:  

 Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) required in Idaho.   

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) preferred. 

All colleagues must provide licensure or proof of application in process for Oregon within 90 days of hire.

Master’s degree in social work or counseling required  

Basic Life Support certification from the American Heart Association or American Red Cross is required.

WHAT YOU WILL DO: 

•  Knows, understands, incorporates, and demonstrates the Organizational Mission, Core Values, and Vision in behaviors, practices, policies and decisions. 

• Completes bio-psycho-social and environmental assessments on identified and/or referred patients. 

• As appropriate, provides bio-psycho-social and environmental interventions for patients and families/caregivers.  Interventions may include brief counseling, supportive therapy, alcohol/drug assessment and referral, referral to internal and external community resources as needed, crisis intervention and grief counseling. 

• Provides consultations to physicians and hospital staff regarding patient and family bio-psycho-social issues through formal and/or informal multidisciplinary case conferences.   

• Collaborates with health care team members to meet the emotional, mental, environmental, bio-psycho-social and spiritual needs of patients and/or their family caregivers. 

• Participates in care coordination activities for those patients identified as needing social work and/or complex case management interventions.  

• Works collaboratively with healthcare team members to efficiently allocate resources.  

• Documents assessments/reassessments and interventions provided to patients and families/caregivers in the EMR. 

• Documents a primary and backup plan as appropriate in the EMR 

• Documents and accurately completes data elements in the electronic database. 

• Responsible for coordination of care to mental health and/or substance abuse facilities. 

• Follows established patient choice attestation guidelines. 

• Responsible to coordinate with physicians and other legal entities relating to but limited to guardianships, holds, Power of Attorney, and Advanced Directives. 

• Conducts interventions that develop positive, longitudinal relationships and set appropriate boundaries with patients and families.  

• Responsible for weekend and holiday social work coverage.  

• Actively participates in department staff meetings and department sub teams. 

• Adheres to the National association of Social Work (NASW) code of ethics or the American Counseling Association (ACA) code of ethics, and the State Licensure Board of ethics.