Social Worker – University of Pennsylvania Health System – Philadelphia, PA

Penn Medicine is looking for a full time social worker to join their team !

Responsible for providing and documenting individualized, person-centered psychosocial assessment, advance care planning, complex discharge planning, and ongoing emotional support for individuals with serious illnesses and their families within an acute care hospital setting. As part of an interdisciplinary consultative palliative care team, the social worker collaborates with members of their own team plus interdisciplinary members of various other medical teams caring for the patient during their hospitalization. The palliative care social worker helps to ensure continuity of care and a medical care plan and discharge plan that are both in alignment with the patient and family goals of care. The palliative care social worker also assists the team in providing ongoing education and support to hospital staff across disciplines. Professional activities will be carried out in accordance with the code of ethics established by the National Association of Social Workers.

Position Accountabilities:

• Work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary palliative care consultation service team of physicians, advance practice providers, chaplains, and other learners to provide supportive care to patients with serious illnesses and their families.
• Effectively communicate and coordinate with interdisciplinary members of various other medical teams caring for palliative care patients in order to ensure continuity of care and to help facilitate complex discharge planning, taking primary role on discharge planning when patient is being discharged from hospital with hospice services.
• Complete psychosocial assessments with focus on patient and families level of coping with seriousness illness and advance care planning.
• Provide ongoing emotional support and psychoeducation to patients and families in coping with disease progression death/dying process.
• Provide psychoeducation to patients and families regarding advance care planning and help facilitate completion of advance directive documents when appropriate.
• Facilitate and co-facilitate family meetings to identity and address goals of care.
• Document in electronic medical record in a timely manner utilizing appropriate palliative care psychosocial assessment, advance care planning, and discharge planning templates.
• Maintain relationships with palliative care and hospice community agencies and keep up-to-date on relative resources and laws regarding advance care planning.
• Plan, facilitate, and participate in palliative care educational programs for interdisciplinary staff both within the hospital and across the health system.
• Participate in Case Management & Social Work Department meetings and join department committees as time allows.
• Use effective interpersonal skills in all interactions.
• Participant in ongoing professional development and maintain formal and informal continuing education for self-improvement.
• Supervise and mentor BSW and MSW student interns.
• Perform duties in accordance with Penn Medicine and entity values, policies, and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned to support the inpatient palliative care team, the Case Management and Social Work department, Pennsylvania Hospital, and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Minimum Requirements:
• Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW)

• Two years of post-Masters experience in a healthcare setting
• At least one year of related palliative care experience preferred
• PA Social Work License (LSW or LCSW) preferred