General Description:

Under general supervision, provide social services to patients and their families at OU Health.

Essential Responsibilities:

Responsibilities listed in this section are core to the position.  Inability to perform these responsibilities with or without an accommodation may result in disqualification from the position. 

• Provides social services to patients and their families for an assigned medical service
• Conducts discharge planning evaluations of patients and/or family members to gather needed information
• Makes psychosocial assessments and relate findings to necessary hospital staff
• Counsels patients and other persons regarding diseases, treatments, social or financial situations, emotional stress and/or other problems
• Monitors care to evaluate progress towards goals and institutes corrective action if needed
• Provides crisis counseling to patients and families regarding child abuse or neglect, physical abuse, etc. and documents these sessions 
• Acts as a liaison between patients/families and the hospital staff and other agencies
• Assists patients and families with adverse reactions or difficult adjustment to illness, treatment or changes in functional status
• Acts as patient advocate for issues related to informed decision making, end-of-life care, realistic goal setting and appropriate resolution of ethical dilemmas
• Assists in discharge planning and referrals to the community for ongoing services
• Assists family and patient with post hospital placement or transfer to a post-acute care facility
• Prepares statistics concerning duties and activities

General Responsibilities:

• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work (BSW)

Experience: 0-3 years of experience required. Hospital experience preferred

License(s)/Certification(s)/Registration(s) Required:  LSWA strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:  

Knowledge of the principles and practices of social and psychological casework, of social and welfare resources available in the community and hospital, of current social and economic conditions, trends and problems. Analytical skills sufficiently strong to interpret situations and determine the appropriate course of action. Ability to explain technical data in a form understandable by patients, families and hospital staff. Good interpersonal skills.