Medical Social Worker - Hospice

Description

At Granite VNA, New Hampshire’s largest home health and hospice provider, we believe in care that helps our patients return to living the life they desire.  The care we provide is personal and meaningful.  Join our mission-driven team as a Medical Social Worker (MSW) and deliver high-quality support to patients and families by helping them navigate the emotional, social, and practical challenges that come with illness, recovery, or end-of-life care.

Whether you are driving through the vibrant downtown or the peaceful back roads, your work will have a lasting impact - helping individuals stay healthy, safe, and independent in the place they call home.  

At Granite VNA, we bring care home – and bring out the best in our team. If you’re ready to trade the in-patient setting for a career with freedom, flexibility and deep impact, we’d love to meet you! 

Apply today and bring your care to where it matters most – home. 

Why Choose Granite Vna:

• A supportive leadership team who leads with compassion and integrity
• Autonomy and purpose
• Collaboration with a team full of dedicated, knowledgeable and supportive professionals
• Competitive pay, mileage reimbursement and generous benefits
• Ongoing professional development and opportunities for career growth
• At Granite VNA, we care for our team the same way we care for our patients—by creating a safe, respectful, and supportive environment. That’s why we offer AVADE Training for field staff and Armed Intruder Training for team members in other roles. 
• Clothing stipend for Granite VNA–embroidered apparel so you can proudly represent our organization in the community. 
• Oh, and did we mention lakeside sunsets and fresh air?

Position Overview

Reporting to the Hospice Care Services Supervisor, the Hospice Medical Social Worker delivers age appropriate counseling and support of patients and families in community Hospice/Hospice House. The Hospice Medical Social Worker acts as a referral resource to outside agencies when the patient’s plan of care warrants.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Assesses the need for grief and loss counseling and bereavement services for patients, families and significant others, and communicate to patients and families about resources to meet their needs.
• Informs patients and families of the Medical Social Worker role and participation in the Interdisciplinary Team.
• Completes psychosocial assessments, visit information, and outcomes according to procedure and professional standards.
• Participates in the development and ongoing evaluation of the psychosocial components of the plan of care.
• Provides short-term problem-oriented therapeutic and/or supportive counseling, including education on death and dying, and casework services to patients and families as needed from the period of admission to one year after death (bereavement).
• Assists Team members in understanding the significant social, emotional and ethical factors related to a patient's/family 's health concerns and dying process on an ongoing basis.
• Assists in the discharge or transfer planning process when Hospice Care by Granite VNA is no longer appropriate.
• Assists patient/families in changing living arrangements when needed.
• Identifies resource needs and refers patient/caregiver/family to appropriate community resources or financial assistance as needed and/or collaborates with these outside agencies to facilitate connection when appropriate.
• Follows Agency and Medicare protocols for documentation in the chart to ensure accurate and timely documentation is within the patient record including, but not limited to, contact information, Advance Directives, and goals of care.
• Maintains productivity of 3 visits per day.  
• Participates in interdisciplinary group meetings and other case conferences as requested.
• Actively participates in team/staff meetings and provide constructive input to the meeting leader.  
• Identifies problems and offers constructive suggestions/solutions. Accepts and follows through with final decisions. 
• Participates in agency quality improvement activities as needed.
• Utilizes supervision appropriately. Works collaboratively and in a professional manor with the management team and staff from other areas.
• Participates in, facilitates, or develops in-service education for Agency staff, volunteers and community groups as required by the manager.
• Demonstrates flexibility in role by accepting other duties as assigned for which qualified.
• Participates in the weekend, holiday, on-call, community and off-shift rotations as required to meet patient and program needs.
• Facilitates effective communication between patients, their important people, and care teams.

Other Job Functions

• Coaches, mentors and precepts new Medical Social Work employees and students
• Performs job duties in a safe manner in order to prevent injury to yourself and others

This is a Field Work position. Primary work location is in the community as assigned providing direct patient care.  Not eligible for remote or work from home.

Requirements

1. Masters of social work degree (MSW) from a school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education
2. One year of Social Work experience in a healthcare setting 
3. Interest in working with terminally ill patients and families

Expected Hours of Work

Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

The employee will be scheduled to work based on program and Agency needs. Hours of work are defined in the Employment Agreement. Work assignments may include holiday, weekend and/or on-call rotation.