SENIOR SOCIAL WORKER, NURSING HOME

Definition

Under direction in a long term care facility (nursing home) setting, performs the more difficult work and/or takes the lead over a small unit involved in providing needed social assistance for clients; does other related duties as required

Examples of work

• Takes the lead in a small social services unit engaged in the analysis, evaluation, and planning of client cases or in providing social service functions within the facility.
• Organizes assigned tasks relevant to problems of clients and develops effective work methods.
• Provides professional social services to assist clients= adjustment to their environment, and enhance physical/emotional well being.
• Counsels clients and family members relevant to medical benefits, financial problems, and so forth.
• Interviews new/prospective clients, compiles information, and prepares social histories containing pertinent financial, educational, and other data, and identifies ordinary/unique needs of the client.
• Maintains periodic progress reports on patients.
• Prepares correspondence.
• Provides assistance with problem resolution to the client/family.
• Participates in professional meetings/conferences.
• May assist other professional personnel through analysis/evaluation of social data relevant to medical problems and the client's total treatment.
• Facilitates arrangements for various support services for clients.
• Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with community service agencies to provide social, educational, and rehabilitative services for clients.
• Conducts orientation talks and facility tours for new patients and family members.
• Speaks before civic groups and high school students in seeking volunteer aid.
• Observes and monitors clients during therapy and activity sessions.
• Discusses issues relevant to the client's adjustment from the nursing environment, coordinates discharge, and assists client in obtaining other needed services.
• Investigates and attempts to resolve complaints received by or on behalf of the client population served.
• Provides information on outreach services offered to the client's family.
• Provides assistance in the review/interpretation of administrative forms, releases, and other documents requiring signature by the client/family.
• Confers with the client/family to discuss and identify financial assistance needs, and provides information and guidance to facilitate meeting such needs.
• Investigates cases to determine eligibility for hospitalization and admission to and/or discharge from other institutions/facilities.
• Prepares reports.
• Maintains records and files.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in social work or other human services field including but not limited to sociology, special education, rehabilitation counseling, or psychology.

Experience

Two (2) years of social work experience in a geriatric setting, one (1) year of which shall have been supervised.

License

Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of sociological and psychological principles/practices.
• Knowledge of policies/procedures involved in performing social work involving the health, welfare, and/or social adjustment of clients.
• Knowledge of the economic, social, emotional, and other problems encountered by the client population serviced.
• Knowledge of social case work methods, terminology, and investigative/interview techniques.
• Knowledge of welfare laws in New Jersey. Knowledge of the organization, objectives, and services provided by community service agencies in New Jersey.
• Ability to analyze, comprehend, and interpret data involved in the conduct of supportive group, individual, and adjunctive activity therapies.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with clients/staff.
• Ability to analyze and interpret laws, rules, regulations, and procedures and their application to individual cases.
• Ability to organize assigned social work, and develop effective work methods.
• Ability to ascertain, appraise, and evaluate significant facts in an individual or family situation.
• Ability to provide counsel/guidance to clients/families on various concerns, issues, and problems faced by the client population and their families.
• Ability to conduct investigations and prepare reports and case histories of the information compiled.
• Ability to participate in professional meetings/conferences.
• Ability to assume a leadership role and guide work efforts of a social services unit.
• Ability to interpret and explain consent-based forms, releases, and other documents.
• Ability to plan and execute programs for social readjustments.
• Ability to maintain records and files.
• Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

A Master's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, or Counseling from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the one (1) year of supervised experience..