Overview
How have you impacted someone’s life today? At Hackensack Meridian Health our teams are focused on changing the lives of our patients by providing the highest level of care each and every day. From our hospitals, rehab centers and occupational health teams to our long-term care centers and at-home care capabilities, our complete spectrum of services will allow you to apply your skills in multiple settings while building your career, all within New Jersey’s premier healthcare system.
The Social Worker MSW, is responsible for planning, organizing and implementing social work services to patients and families, as well as coordinating the discharge plan with the nurse case manager, multidisciplinary team and community agencies as necessary. The Social Worker is responsible for rendering profession clinical services to patients, evaluating their psychiatric needs in the ER Crisis Unit.
Responsibilities
A day in the life of a Social Worker at Hackensack Meridian includes:
- Provides a comprehensive assessment of patient’s psychosocial and develops treatment plans and treatment plan reviews based on findings and according to department policy
- Provides effective treatment to patients, whether assessment or therapy, and shares and interprets information to staff, families, and/or other approved agencies
- Completes written reports in a timely fashion as required by the Medical Center or Agency policy
- Provides psychotherapeutic services to patients in accordance with Licensure regulations defined by the Board of Social Work Examiners and obtains and interprets information in terms of patient needs, knowledge of growth and development, and an understanding of the range of treatment required for that age group
- Provides individual and psychotherapeutic services in accordance with current standards of practice, as developed by professional and licensing organizations, and defined and interpreted by supervisor
- Provides comprehensive case management services and psychosocial assessment
- Develops a comprehensive discharge plan, in collaborations with the patient/family patient caregiver, patient support persons and healthcare team that will provide maximum benefit for each patient as needed
- Ensures that the discharge plan will be the least restrictive environment that best meets the continuing care needs of the patient.
- Ensures provisions of continued care at home or in an appropriate extended care facility based upon the patient needs
- Confirms the patient has a primary care provider upon discharge or refers appropriately to an FQHC
- Reassesses periodically and evaluates against care goals and the plan of care and, revises when indicated. Medical records reflect that each patient’s discharge plan is re-assessed no less than weekly in response to change in medical situation
- Functions collaboratively with treatment team members to enhance service to patients
- Maintains patient records as required by law and Medical Center policy
- Assists other mental health professionals in expediting emergencies
- Part of the interdisciplinary team and has expertise in and/or knowledge about the programs specialized care, treatment and services
- Identifies the needs of the patient population served and modifies and delivers care that is specific to those needs (i.e., age, culture, language, hearing and/or visually impaired, etc.) This process includes communicating with the patient, parent and/or primary caregiver(s) at their level (developmental/age, educational, literacy, etc.)
- Adheres to the standards identified in the Medical Center’s Organizational Competencies
Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) is required
- New Jersey Licensed Social Worker or Licensed Clinical Social Worker is required
- Must have the ability to perform psychosocial assessments and develop treatment plans
- Knowledge of crisis intervention theory and its application in a variety of medical settings is required
- Knowledge of psychopathology and differential diagnosis and treatment techniques is required
- Crisis experience is a plus