Social Worker- Rice Care Center

To provide professional, medical social w ork

services for Rice Care Center. The individual in this posit ion practices medical social work focusing on patient's, resident's and family's psychosocial needs through assessment, discharge planning, patient/family education regarding available resources, advocacy, support and linkage to community referrals. Is responsible for program development, evaluation and improvement in assigned area.

This position works cooperatively and respectfully with residents, coworkers, families, visitors and volunteers to create a positive and pleasant environment in the home. This may involve direct problem solving, conflict resolution and ensuring that the psychosocial and social services needs and desires of residents are met.


• JOB RELATIONSHIPS:

A. REPORTS TO: Administrator B. SUPERVISES: None C. INTERRELATIONSHIPS WITH: Physicians, Rice Care Center

employees, Rice Memorial hospital employees, outside agencies, patients and families and other Care Management staff.


• HOURS OF WORK: 8:30 - 5:00, Monday through Friday, variable

as needed.
• DRESS CODE: Appropriate att ire for a professional department.

Medical Social Worker


• ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS OF WORK (Minimum qualifications necessary to function at full productivity).

A. EDUCATION AND TRAINING: BSW required. Licensed by

the State of Minnesota required. B. EXPERIENCE: 2 years medical experience required Previous

experience in a medically related sett ing required. C. JOB KNOWLEDGE (Specific): Know ledge of the

psychosocial aspects of illness/disability/ rehabilitat ion. Ability to assess needs of patients and families. Know ledge of community resources and how to access them. Requires know ledge and ability to ut ilize skills in support ive counseling and support group facilitat ion. Know ledge of crisis intervention, vulnerable adult and abuse regulations. Requires excellent verbal and w rit ten communication skills.


• BUDGET: N/A
• CLIENTELE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY JOB: Patients and families,

RCC employees, outside agencies, other Care Management staff , community.


• PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB: Walking, standing, lif t ing.
• PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE JOB: Well lighted, ventilated,

even temperature environment.
• EQUIPMENT OR MACHINES USED ON THE JOB: Computers and

telecommunications equipment.
• MENTAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB:

A. JUDGEMENT AND INITIATIVE: Must exercise sound judgement working w ith patients and staff. Init iat ive in Discharge planning referrals to outside agencies and other mental health personnel and follow strict confidentiality standards.

B. INDEPENDENT ACTION: Must be able to w ork w ithin other

people's deadlines for the sake of effective patient care and continuity of care planning.

Medical Social Worker

C. EFFECT OF ERROR: Error could cause very serious consequences in some cases, negligible in others.

D. CONTACT WITH OTHERS: Must be able to w ork

professionally and effectively w ith RCC employees as w ell as patients, families, physicians and representatives of other agencies.

E. CLIENTELE: Assesses, plans, implements, evaluates,

documents the care of patients including those in the follow ing age group: adults and geriatrics.


• PRINCIPAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES, TASKS, AND AUTHORITIES:

A. RESPONSIBILITY: To provide medical social w ork services in Therapy Suites in order to meet psychosocial needs of patients and families.

PRIORITY: A % OF TIME: 60% DISCRETION: A TASKS: 1. Upon admission, assesses patient's psychosocial

needs. 2. Based on psychosocial assessment and through

collaboration w ith other team members, identif ies appropriate intervent ions and community resources according to policy on Discharge Planning, and documents in medical record.

3. Provides for continuity of care by facilitat ing appropriate referrals to other community health care providers, according to Rice Care Center discharge plan policy.

4. Assumes role of patient advocate as appropriate. 5. Provides addit ional social w ork intervention and follow -

up activit ies w ith other patient populations as assigned.

6. Assists in identifying needs, planning and providing

periodic professional training programs in relat ion to social w ork/discharge planning.

Medical Social Worker

7. Refer patients to clinical social w orkers and other mental health professionals for further assessments/interventions as indicated.

8. To facilitate the investigation and report ing of suspected maltreatment of minors and vulnerable adults per Rice Care Center Policies and Procedures and State law .

10. Social Work development, evaluation and quality improvement.

B. RESPONSIBILITY: Social Services Mentor. The Household Coordinators are Social Service Designees. You will serve as a mentor to them and work collaboratively on meeting the psychosocial needs of the residents.

1. Plan, implement and monitor the provision of resident/social services in the Household with other professionals.

2. Incorporate resident social/life history information into resident care and services.

3. Advocate for residents and partner with the care team, residents and families to ensure that resident needs are being met acting as an advocate for Resident Bill of Rights.

4. Work collaboratively with others to resolve problems that affect the residents' health, safety, or ability to live independently and comfortably.

5. Conduct resident and family conferences with the appropriate frequency to ensure excellent communication and care coordination for resident services (if directed by Household Coordinator).

6. Maintains dignity and privacy of residents by knocking before entering resident room, addressing residents in a respectful manner, discussing the resident's status in a private manner, treating residents in a courteous and polite manner.

7. Ensures that residents complete all necessary documents such as admission agreement, power of attorney and living will in order to direct decisions that may be made on their behalf. 8. Determines support services residents may need to promote their well-being.

Medical Social Worker

9. Facilitates the effective completion of care plans and RAI documentation with regards to psychosocial well being, social service needs

10. Provides knowledge and skills to staff in all households,

assuring that the households have the necessary resources

(community linkages, materials and supplies, skills and

knowledge) to be successful.

11. Assures regulatory compliance by educating and

maintaining appropriate record keeping and documentation

in households and by maintaining appropriate professional

files

12. Assures that resident rights and responsibilities are

honored and met, including the right to refuse or

individualize treatment, and monitors the community and

household response to resident concerns

13. Meets all resident and household needs by actively

assisting (to the extent of cross training and certification) in

all tasks to meet identified needs.

14. Offers education and assistance to residents and staff

regarding financial resources as needed (such as MA

applications, etc.).

15. Assist in problem solving conflict/behavioral issues with

resident and staff. Develops and implements individual

behavior management programs and educate staff to carry

them out.

16. Assists in bed management of entire facility to benefit

residents and the needs of the greater Willmar community.

PRIORITY: A % OF TIME: 20% DISCRETION: A

C. RESPONSIBILITY: To part icipate in professional Rice Care Center activit ies.

PRIORITY: A % OF TIME: 15% DISCRETION: A TASKS:

Medical Social Worker

1. To attend and part icipate in department staff meetings.

2. To part icipate in social w ork program development, as

w ell as in area of clinical responsibility. 3. To part icipate in the evaluation of the effectiveness of

the Social Work interventions through research and quality improvement activit ies.

4. To part icipate on facility and community committees

as assigned. 5. To present formal educational inservice sessions to

department staff, nursing units and others in and outside Rice Care Center as requested.

6. To be responsible for ow n continuing education needs

in order to enhance and develop addit ional skills and meet licensure requirements.

7. To perform other tasks/functions as delegated in order

to meet patient and facility needs. 8. To provide medical social w ork consultat ion to other

Rice Care Center staff as directed to enhance patient interventions.

9. To maintain department-defined stat ist ical data base. 10. To perform other duties as assigned. AUTHORITIES: Has the authority to carry out the above tasks/functions.

D. RESPONSIBILITY: Continuous Quality Improvement

Tasks: 1. Demonstrates understanding of the CQI philosophy. 2. Part icipates in CQI training activit ies or CQI teams if

appropriate. 3. Demonstrates sensit ivity to customers and their needs.

Medical Social Worker

4. Interacts appropriately w ith internal customers, i.e. cow orkers w ithin department, staff across departments.

5. Interacts appropriately w ith external customers, i.e. patients, families, medical staff, vendors.

6. Role models posit ive behaviors.

E. RESPONSIBILITY: Service Excellence

TASKS: Demonstrates an ongoing commitment to the Service Excellence philosophy by adhering to behaviors outlined in Rice's " Standards of Excellence."

F. RESPONSIBILITY: Safety - Maintain and promote a safe environment for all patients, visitors and staff.

TASKS: 1. Consistently follow all policies, practices and w ork

rules. 2. Do not use shortcuts or " work-arounds" that may

reduce safety or increase risk. 3. Stay alert, act responsibly and use common sense to

reduce risks. 4. Report " actual events" and " good catches" as soon as

possible. 5. Create a safe environment by eliminating hazards and

identifying and report ing unsafe systems. 6. Complete all mandatory safety education, attend

safety sessions, review and understand the Safety Program (available on RiceNet). Seek answers to questions you have about the Safety Program.