Social Worker-Wm and Chd/LSW-C

Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center

Department: Social Services

Position is located: Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center

Work Type: PRN

Hours Per Week: Variable

Work Schedule: Variable

Summary:

This is a Social Worker position within the Social Services department at Eastern Maine Medical Center, which provides care for patients in EMMC's Women's and Children's Services division. This primarily includes Labor and Delivery, Obstetrics, Newborn Nursery, Neonatal Intensive Care, Inpatient Pediatrics, and Pediatric Intensive Care. This position reports to the Social Services Manager. Licensed Social Worker- Conditional credential is required. Certified or Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor credential is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities:

• Complete psychosocial evaluations within the subspecialty area of women’s and children’s services to identify patient/family strengths and needs.
• Assess patients/families within the subspecialty area of women’s and children’s services for safety and risk factors that impact discharge planning and risk for readmission.
• Provide individual or group alcohol and drug counseling services within CADC/LADC scope of practice.
• Advocate for patients’ and families’ needs as part of the multidisciplinary care team.
• Advocate for patients and families with external service providers or organizations.
• Serve as a resource to multidisciplinary care team members concerning psychosocial issues.
• Provides education to multidisciplinary care team members on psychosocial issues as needed.
• Plans patient/family interventions that consider the unique needs of the patient/family (cultural, religious, age-specific, etc.)
• Collaborate with Care Manager and multidisciplinary team to develop and implement complex patient discharge plans.
• Communicate effectively with the health care team to conduct assessments and interventions in a maximally efficient and effective manner.
• Exhibit excellent verbal, non-verbal, and written interpersonal communication skills.
• Effectively communicate and collaborate with patients and families.
• Complete documentation in the electronic medical record of assessment, intervention, and/or counseling services provided in a timely and accurate manner.
• Work collaboratively with department and multidisciplinary team members to address and communicate patient/family needs.
• Maintain effective working relationships with child and family serving agencies in the community.
• Initiate multidisciplinary meetings with patients and families when requested or when the goals of the health care team members and the patient/family are not mutually acceptable.
• Recognize and comfortably address conflict.
• Maintain expert knowledge of patient rights, including advance directives and rights to self-determination.
• Maintain knowledge of state regulations/laws regarding child and adult abuse.
• Refer patients and families to appropriate community-based services to address unmet needs.
• Refer patient and family concerns to appropriate internal resources.
• Review performance of peers in an openly and honest manner to positively influence change.
• Provide effective crisis intervention to patients and/or families when indicated.
• Participate constructively in EMMC committees, as appropriate.
• Identify and communicate opportunities to improve delivery of services at EMMC, as appropriate.
• Demonstrate accountability by completing assignments thoroughly and in a timely manner.
• Seek supervisory assistance/ guidance and when appropriate.
• Maintain knowledge of and participates in department and hospital wide performance improvement activities, as appropriate.
• Use work time in a professional and responsible manner.
• Complete annual HealthStream training per EMMC policy.
• Adhere to all relevant professional ethical standards.
• Engage in professional development opportunities to advance own professional development and meet required continuing education requirements for licensure.
• Maintain awareness of departmental and organizational activities by regularly reviewing internal communications.
• Demonstrate flexibility/adaptability in managing workload and organizational changes.
• Attend all mandatory department and EMMC in-service training programs.
• Attend or review minutes from all scheduled department meetings.
• Participate in supervision/training of students/interns and new hires.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Contribute to a healthy workplace culture that is consistent with Northern Light Health expectations.

Other Information:

Competencies and Skills

• Achieves Results: Sets high standards for their own outcomes and seizes opportunities to engage others towards objectives. Consistently moves forward with direct actions in order to attain or exceed objectives. Manages their own time effectively to accomplish assigned tasks. Successfully prioritizes multiple projects and duties as needed.
• Demonstrates Adaptability: Learns quickly when facing a new problem or unfamiliar task; is flexible in their approach with changing priorities and ambiguity. Manages change effectively and does not give up during adversity. Capable of changing one's behavioral style and/or views in order to attain a goal. Absorbs new information readily and puts it into practice effectively.
• Demonstrates Emotional Intelligence: Exhibits a high level of self-awareness, self-management, other awareness and relationship management. Conducts themselves in an empathic, appropriate way, with a sense of humor and stimulates a collaborative work environment. Is respectful of the attitudes, feelings, or circumstances of others and aware of the influence of their own behavior on them. Is aware of relevant social, political, system, and professional trends and developments and uses this information for the organization's benefit.
• Effectively Communicates: Listens, speaks and writes appropriately, using clear language. Communication methods are fitting to the message(s), audience, and situation and follow-ups are regular and timely. Shows that important (non-) verbal information is absorbed and understood and asks further questions to clarify when necessary. Expresses ideas and views clearly to others and has ability to adjust use of language to the audiences' level.
• Exercises Sound Judgment & Decision Making: Understands and processes complex information, which allows for appropriate and accountable conclusions. Does not react too quickly or slowly. Balances facts, goals, and potential approaches taking the appropriate criteria into account. Makes active decisions and commits oneself by communicating confidently and respectfully.
• Influences and Inspires: Builds enthusiasm and commitment among others to move in a desired direction and models it personally. Creates a compelling vision of success that motivates workplace initiative and energizes others to follow. Provides direction and guidance to encourage cooperation between team members in order to attain an objective. Has the ability to appropriately influence others' actions and decisions with and without express authority.
• Promotes Health and Safety: Promotes a healthy and safe environment for patients, employees and visitors. Advocates and models healthy physical and mental health behaviors even in challenging circumstances. Sets high quality standards and strives for continuous improvement and quality assurance by reporting and encouraging others to report near misses and safety issues.
• Provides Patient-Centered Care: Demonstrates understanding of patient care quality and service as organizational priority. Proactively supports change to improve patient experience and results. Exhibits the ability and willingness to find out what the patient wants and needs and to act accordingly, taking the organizational and outside resources into account. Cooperates, collaborates, communicates, and integrates care within and between teams to ensure that care is continuous and reliable.
• Resolves Conflict: Promptly acts to find alternatives/solutions when team members disagree. Addresses issues in a direct, honest, and appropriate manner. Handles conflicting interests diplomatically and helps to solve them. Transforms difficult situations into teachable moments using respect and accountability .
• Seeks Process Improvement & Applies System Thinking: Possesses and gains insight into situations, problems and processes. Understands the interconnection between organizational elements. Deconstructs problems and systematically investigates the various components. Considers the impact of actions on the entire process/system. Detects problems and opportunities, recognizes important information, and links various data to trace potential causes and relevant details.
• Behaves with Integrity and Builds Trust: Acts consistently in line with the core values, commitments and rules of conduct. Leads by example and tells the truth. Does what they say they will, when and how they say they will, or communicates an alternate plan.
• Cultivates Respect: Treats others fairly, embraces and values differences, and contributes to a culture of diversity, inclusion, empowerment and cooperation.
• Fosters Accountability: Creates and participates in a work environment where people hold themselves and others accountable for processes, results and behaviors. Takes appropriate ownership not only of successes but also mistakes and works to correct them in a timely manner. Demonstrates understanding that we all work as a team and the quality and timeliness of work impacts everyone involved.
• Practices Compassion: Exhibits genuine care for people and is available and ready to help; displays a deep awareness of and strong willingness to relieve the suffering of others.

Credentials

• Required Licensed Social Worker - Conditional

Education

• Required Bachelor's Degree

Working Conditions

• Potential exposure to abusive and/or aggressive people.
• Potential exposure to diseases or infections.
• Potential exposure to hazardous materials.
• Potential exposure to noise levels being uncomfortable.
• Potential exposure to noxious odors.
• Potential exposure to very hot or cold temperatures.
• Work with computers, typing, reading or writing.
• Lifting, moving and loading 20 to 30 pounds.
• Prolonged periods of sitting.
• Alternate shift schedules (day, evening, nights, weekends).
• Prolonged periods of standing.
• Prolonged periods of walking.