Social Worker, BSW

Fraser Health is the second largest health system in Canada with over 45,000 staff, medical staff and volunteers, and is the largest of five regional health authorities in British Columbia, providing hospital and community-based health services to nearly 2 million people in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

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Reporting clinically to the Professional Practice Chief, Social Work and administratively to the Manager, Clinical Services, provides basic therapeutic clinical counseling services to patients and families in the assigned clinical specialty area; conducts basic social work assessments of patients and families using a variety of assessment tools in accordance with professional standards, clinical policies and practices and provides consultation to patient, families and healthcare professionals; provides leadership to the interdisciplinary team in care planning for the effective utilization of patient resources and participates as a member of local committees and planning bodies to identify areas for improved efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery to enhance patient care services and reduce gaps in service; participates, in in-services, presentations, psycho-educational and support groups and participates in research activities.

1. Provides basic social work and therapeutic clinical counseling services to patients and families in the assigned clinical specialty area by exploring the emotional response to identify problems, personal concerns, treatment objectives and facilitates change in coping style, behavior, attitude and feelings as it relates to the illness and other system issues; participates with the patient, families, community supports and interdisciplinary treatment teams to coordinate services, manage cases and facilitate meetings.
2. Conducts basic social work assessments of patients and families by interviewing the patient and/or family, obtaining relevant information, gathering social data regarding the patient and/or family and interpreting the data using a variety of assessment tools, in accordance with professional standards, clinical policies and practices.
3. Provides consultation to patients, families and other healthcare professionals on issues related to high risk factors, recovery and current community practice relevant to the assigned clinical specialty area in the adaptation to illness and disability, trauma and bereavement, critical incident stress management, protection of vulnerable adults, chemical dependency, community living and support services.
4. Maintains patient records by documenting patient assessments, charting information, preparing progress notes and reports in accordance with established standards, policies and procedures to meet regulatory requirements; documents information for future reference.
5. Provides leadership in the discharge planning process by interviewing the patient and/or family to assess and determine care plan and type of service required; articulates analysis and decision to members of the interdisciplinary team; arranges family meetings to assist in developing and coordinating patient care plan and community services for patients requiring facility placement and/or home support; collaborates with hospital and community services to determine alternate level of care and the effective utilization of patient resources.
6. Communicates with community health and social agencies including government Ministries, Home Health personnel and family physicians by collaborating in the assessment and management of individuals at risk, making referrals to appropriate resources when longer term treatment or follow-up is required and exchanging relevant information.
7. Acts as a resource to patients and their families by providing information for patients and families regarding community resources and access to these resources; suggests contacts to facilitate optimal planning, arranges referrals and facilitates the development of community resources to support the health of the families.
8. Participates as a member of local committees and planning bodies by engaging in program/practice evaluation, identifying opportunities for change, assessing available resources, initiating solutions, analyzing outcomes and identifying areas for improved efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery to enhance patient care services and reduce service gaps.
9. Maintains a variety of records such as workload statistics by recording information into approved formats, collating data, analyzing trends, accounting for variances, preparing reports as required and recommending an action plan to the Manager, Clinical Services, as required.
10. Attends and/or leads meetings, in-services and corporate initiatives by presenting relevant materials/topics to remain informed of departmental/practice activities and to contribute to hospital initiatives.
11. Participates in research activities, program planning and development relevant to the needs of the patient, families, hospital and community by identifying current trends/gaps in service, conducting literature searches, administering surveys and collecting research data for further analysis; ensures clinical practices and protocols are consistent with research findings.
12. Maintains basic development in the social work profession by reviewing literature in the assigned clinical specialty area, consulting with clinical and community experts within the field, evaluating clinical practice and participating in professional development activities in order to improve care through new practices.
13. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Bachelor's degree in Social Work from an approved school of Social Work, plus one year recent, related acute care clinical experience.

Current full registration with the BC College of Social Workers.

• Basic knowledge and understanding emotional and mental health issues related to illness, injury, patient and family cultural dynamics
• Basic counseling skills including crisis counseling, brief therapeutic interventions and loss and grief applicable to patients, families and other support networks
• Ability to provide consultation to patients, families and other healthcare professionals
• Ability to develop, coordinate and deliver in-services, presentations and support groups
• Ability to provide leadership to the interdisciplinary team in care planning and effective utilization of available resources
• Ability to make effective referrals, reflecting in-depth knowledge of community resources and strong collaborative skills in working with community health and social agency personnel
• Ability to effectively work independently and with others, including working effectively in a multicultural environment as part of a multidisciplinary team and understanding the frameworks of other disciplines
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with patients, families, staff and community agency personnel
• Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize workload in a complex environment
• Ability to operate related equipment including related software applications
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position

Fraser Health is the heart of health care for over two million people in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, Canada, on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the Coast Salish and Nlaka'pamux Nations and is home to 32 First Nations within the Fraser Salish region.

People - those we care for and those who care for them - are at the heart of everything we do. Our hospital and community-based services are delivered by a team of 48,000+ staff, medical staff and volunteers.

We are committed to planetary health and value diversity in the work force. We strive to maintain an environment of respect, caring and trust. Fraser Health's hiring practices aspire to ensure all individuals are treated in an inclusive, equitable and culturally safe manner.

Together, we are the heart of health care.

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