Social Worker Position At Mercy Medical Center

This position supports Mercy's philosophy of patient centered care by providing our patients and their families support and resources to manage the many psychosocial aspects of illness. A social worker works with patients and their identified support system to access the needed resources to cope with illness and life changes triggered by illness. This may include referral to needed community resources, assistance in applying for financial assistance programs or the provision of supportive counseling in coping with illness and the life changes resulting from illness.

Job Duties/Essential Functions

• Ensure that all accurate and clinically relevant information is communicated with patients, their families and co-workers at hand offs and other times as needed. Take all measures necessary to ensure that the appropriate and involved parties have communicated necessary information in order to allow for the best possible patient outcome.
• Assesses patient/family social, emotional and economic factors through initial admission assessment and ongoing evaluation and reassessment.
• Serves as a resource to the patient/family assisting them with accessing appropriate resources to address concerns/needs and removing barriers to care.
• Actively participates in multidisciplinary team meetings advocating for the patient and educating team regarding psychosocial issues impacting ability to cope with health care concerns and safely preparing for care transitions/discharge planning.
• Documents in the medical record accurately, timely and in accordance with professional and department-specific standards.
• Demonstrates an understanding and an ability to work effectively with the community professionals/agencies providing patient services throughout the continuum of care.
• Maintains current knowledge of community and other resource networks for planning/provision to meet patients' needs.
• Demonstrates skills in advocacy for all populations served.
• Provides counseling and ongoing therapeutic relationship to assist patients/families in coping with the effect of serious illness, death and grief and/or mental illness
• Provides education and consultation to health care staff on patient behaviors, communication, conflict resolution, confidentiality and professional boundaries

Department Specific Duties

Medical Cancer

• Conduct psychosocial assessments and determine appropriate referrals to address needs
• Review organizational screenings and determine appropriate follow up needed
• Collaborate with the intradisciplinary team to integrate social work services into patient care
• Offer crisis intervention and support during medical emergencies
• Provide individual and group counseling to cancer patients and their support members
• Lead support groups and educational programs within the cancer center
• Participate in multidisciplinary meetings and provide insight on patient progress and available resources
• Advocate for patients' needs and rights within the healthcare system
• Develop and implement programs to address specific oncology patient needs
• Provide updates on programmatic development to the Commission on Cancer (CoC) committee

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrates critical thinking when assessing and assisting patients and their families in managing health care needs.
• Upholds the required legal standards for reporting situations, including child/dependent adult abuse, and domestic violence.
• Keyboarding and able to work with multiple computer software programs.

Professional Experience

• Oncology social work experience preferred.

Education

• Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) required.

Licensure, Certification, Registration

• Oncology certification preferred.
• Iowa Dependent Adult Abuse/Iowa Child Abuse Mandatory Reporter training required. Employee must submit certification of completed training to Human Resources prior to start or transfer date.

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Mercy is an independent, community-based organization supporting the Cedar Rapids area for over 120 years.

Mercy is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and therefore evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.