Healthcare Social Worker
Quick Facts
What They Do
A Healthcare Social Worker provides individuals and families with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family care givers, providing patient education and counseling, and making referrals for other services. May also provide care and case management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.
Core Tasks:
- Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises.
- Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs.
- Educate clients about end-of-life symptoms and options to assist them in making informed decisions.
- Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.
- Utilize consultation data and social work experience to plan and coordinate client or patient care and rehabilitation, following through to ensure service efficacy.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan.
- Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records.
- Counsel clients and patients in individual and group sessions to help them overcome dependencies, recover from illness, and adjust to life.
- Organize support groups or counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, and supporting the client or patient.
- Modify treatment plans to comply with changes in clients' status.
- Plan discharge from care facility to home or other care facility.
- Supervise and direct other workers providing services to clients or patients.
- Plan and conduct programs to combat social problems, prevent substance abuse, or improve community health and counseling services.
- Develop or advise on social policy and assist in community development.
- Conduct social research to advance knowledge in the social work field.
What to expect as a Healthcare Social Worker
59% of people achieve this level of education.
See Healthcare Social Worker related courses on Tallo
1679 openings for Healthcare Social Workers
Career Progression
in United States (Nation)
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