Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The primary purpose of the Social Worker - Patient Navigator, under the direction of the Practice Administrator, is to be responsible for providing support and guidance throughout a patient’s care continuum.

POSITION EDUCATION/ QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School Diploma / GED
• Masters in Social Work
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Marriage, Family Child Counselor)
• Read, Write and Speak English
• Fluent in Spanish

JOB KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:

• Two(2) years’ experience working with child; adolescent, adult and geriatric cancer patients
• Good overall clinical skills, ability to work productively and effectively
• Ability to function well as a member of a multidisciplinary team
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Actively seeks opportunities for professional growth by attending educational seminars
• Basic computer knowledge
• Experience in an acute health care setting.
• Experience in working on interdisciplinary teams required.
• Staff member must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his/her assigned unit.
• Valid Texas Driver’s license, Driver’s license under CLEAR status with the DMV required.
• Current BLS certification.
• Willingness to be crossed trained to other areas.
• Good organizational skills are necessary
• Good written and verbal communication skills required.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely with all levels of nursing, administration, and physicians
• Professionalism, good demeanor and presentation required.
• Charismatic, engaging personality with good people skills is a must.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Initiates communication with patient upon receiving a referral of a patient with cancer or a suspicious finding
• Assist the patient with navigating through our network of physicians, clinics, hospitals, outpatient centers, patient-support organizations, and other components of our health care system.
• Conduct intake and assessment for target group to determine their psycho-social, housing, and/or resources needed to obtain maximum benefits from all available sources.
• Receive referrals from providers, patient care coordinators and discharge planners.
• Assist the medical team in educating the patient and family on resources available concerning treatment and diagnosis.
• Ensures that all needs of patients are addressed and fulfill COC accreditation guidelines in a timely manner.
• Assist patients with external resources.
• Document every encounter in Cerner EMR system.
• Able and available to make home visitations as needed.
• Develop, coordinate and provide social work services to patients and families who are faced with social, emotional and situational stressors precipitated by cancer.
• Promotes the facility mission, vision and values by effectively communicating them to others. Considers mission, vision and values in developing services, standards and practices
• Promote helping relationships of the patient and family, quality care, cost-effective outcomes and enhance the physical, psychosocial, and vocational health of the patient
• Assess patients for social work needs, within the context of an oncology diagnosis and in recognition of the family unit
• Assist in planning, program development, community organizing, policy analysis, legislative advocacy, program evaluation, task-oriented group work, community education, human services management, and all other assignments given by administrator.
• Identify psycho-social needs and within the framework of an interdisciplinary team, develops a plan of care that serves as a guideline for the team in caring for the patient
• Provides psychological counseling to patient and/or family members as appropriate and diagnose according to the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders.
• Schedules and facilitates family meetings as necessary.
• Outlines needs and identifies resources to meet those needs.
• Provides patients with education, advocacy, and decision making support related to the impact of medical illness, social needs, functional needs, or financial needs on healing, recovery chronic care, or end of life care.
• With an understanding of the oncology patient/family needs, develops and maintains a social work program that is collaborative, comprehensive and meets all requirements of regulatory agencies.
• Initiates and facilitates groups and works with internal and external resources as to meet the identified patient needs.
• Other duties as assigned