MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKER in Poughkeepsie, New York at Westchester Medical Center

The Medical Social Worker should have advanced knowledge on understanding of disease entities and process and their psychosocial impact on patients and families. The Medical Social Worker should be emotionally and physically able to tolerate work in the case of catastrophic illnesses, traumatic injuries, and medical anomalies. The Medical Social Worker should possess advanced knowledge and understanding of medical technology and medical treatment modalities.

Responsibilities:

• Provides psychosocial assessments of patient/families to secure significant data, presents psychosocial evaluations to the interdisciplinary team and participates in decisions and planning for treatment and aftercare.
• Provides psychosocial counseling to patients and families through individual, group and/or family modalities with minimal supervision regarding the impact and adjustment to illness, injury, compliance to treatment plan, crisis intervention, bereavement, quality of life, substance abuse, abuse and neglect, and resources.
• Coordinates, upon referral, the discharge planning function in collaboration with the team members.
• Represents the Hospital on community committees; acts as a liaison and coordinator between community and Hospital programs.
• Participates in and contributes to formal inter-disciplinary rounds and conferences.
• Provides in-services to Hospital staff and community organizations on selected topics.
• Supervises and orients social work students, and new social work staff.
• Completes all required documentation.
• Participates in continuing education.
• Represents Social Work on Hospital committees.
• Participates in Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement programs as appropriate.
• Performs other duties as needed.

Qualifictions/Requirements:

Experience:

• Two years post-graduate experience in a medical, mental health or human services setting as a member of a multi-disciplinary team preferred but not required.

Education:

• Master’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited Graduate School of Social Work.

Licenses / Certifications:

• New York State Social Work License required.

Other:

• If applicable, the individual performing this job may reasonably anticipate coming into contact with human blood and other potentially infectious materials. Individuals in this position are required to exercise universal precautions, use personal protective equipment and devices, and learn the policies concerning infection control.
• Must possess advanced understanding of personality development, ego functions, defense mechanisms, transference and counter-transference phenomena.
• Must possess advanced ability in crisis intervention techniques, and in conducting interviews and interventions with complex and problematic clients to obtain social and medical information necessary to independently make a diagnostic and treatment plan.
• Must possess demonstrated experience in one or more of the therapeutic treatment modalities, i.e. individual, family, group or couples therapy, and with cases that present the more difficult treatment issues.
• Must possess excellent oral and written skills, basic computer skills and has the ability to function independently with minimal selective use of consultation.