Profession hospital social worker

Hospital social workers provide counselling to patients and their families helping them to better cope with the illness, the emotions surrounding diagnosis, and with social and financial problems. They work in cooperation with doctors, nurses and other health professionals sensitising them on the emotional aspects of a patient. They act as link between patients and medical staff. Hospital social workers also support the patients and their families with the discharge from the hospital.

Hospital social worker Jobs: Open positions

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Personality Type

Knowledge

  • Social sciences

    The development and characteristics of sociological, anthropological, psychological, political, and social policy theories.

  • Company policies

    The set of rules that govern the activity of a company.

  • Crisis intervention

    Coping strategies in crisis cases which allow individuals to overcome their problems or fears and avoid psychological distress and breakdown.

  • Social work theory

    The development and characteristics of social work theories underpinned by social sciences and humanities.

  • Legal requirements in the social sector

    The prescribed legislative and regulatory requirements in the social sector.

  • Social justice

    The development and principles of human rights and social justice and the way they should be applied on a case by case basis.

  • Health care system

    The structure and function of health care services.

Skills

  • Cooperate at inter-professional level

    Cooperate with people in other sectors in relation to social service work.

  • Work in partnership with social services users

    Help social service users identify and express their expectations and strengths, providing them with information and advice to make informed decisions about their circumstances. Work with individuals, families, groups, communities to achieve change and improve life opportunities.

  • Empower social service users

    Enable individuals, families, groups and communities to gain more control over their lives and environment, either by themselves or with the help of others.

  • Handle conflicts

    Mediate in conflicts and tense situations by acting between parties, such as service users, important others like families, and institutions, striving to effect an agreement, reconciliate, and resolve problems.

  • Follow health and safety precautions in social care practices

    Ensure hygienic work practice, respecting the safety of the environment at day care, residential care settings and care at home.

  • Make legislation transparent for users of social services

    Inform and explain the legislation for users of social services, in order to help them understand the implications it has on them and how to use it for their interest.

  • Relate empathetically

    Recognise, understand and share emotions and insights experienced by another.

  • Negotiate with social service users

    Discuss with your client to establish fair conditions, building on a bond of trust, reminding the client that the work is in their favour and encouraging their cooperation.

  • Contribute to protecting individuals from harm

    Use established processes and procedures to challenge and report dangerous, abusive, discriminatory or exploitative behaviour and practice, bringing any such behaviour to the attention of the employer or the appropriate authority.

  • Build helping relationship with social service users

    Develop a collaborative helping relationship, addressing any ruptures or strains in the relationship, fostering bonding and gaining service users` trust and cooperation through empathic listening, caring, warmth and authenticity.

  • Accept own accountability

    Accept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.

  • Promote social change

    Promote changes in relationships between individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities by taking into consideration and coping with unpredictable changes, at the micro, macro and mezzo level.

  • Develop a collaborative therapeutic relationship

    Develop a mutually collaborative therapeutic relationship during treatment, fostering and gaining healthcare users' trust and cooperation.

  • Apply anti-oppressive practices

    Identify oppression in societies, economies, cultures, and groups, acting as a professional in an non-oppressive way, enabling service users to take action to improve their lives and enabling citizens to change their environment in accordance with their own interests.

  • Organise social work packages

    Create a package of social support services according to the service user's needs and in line with specified standards, regulations and timescales.

  • Advocate for healthcare users' needs

    Promote patient and family needs in different settings such as inpatient, outpatient, at home, and in the community.

  • Apply person-centred care

    Treat individuals as partners in planning, developing and assessing care, to make sure it is appropriate for their needs. Put them and their caregivers at the heart of all decisions.

  • Apply problem solving in social service

    Systematically apply a step-by-step problem-solving process in providing social services.

  • Arrange in-home services for patients

    Ensure that the medical discharge of a patient coincides with the arrangement of complementary medical services needed at home.

  • Prevent social problems

    Develop, define and implement actions that can prevent social problems, striving for the enhancement of the quality of life for all citizens.

  • Promote inclusion

    Promote inclusion in health care and social services and respect diversity of beliefs, culture, values and preferences, keeping in mind the importance of equality and diversity issues.

  • Apply holistic approach within social services

    Consider the social service user in any situation, recognising the connections between micro-dimension, meso-dimension, and macro-dimension of social problems, social development and social policies.

  • Apply quality standards in social services

    Apply quality stardards in social services while upholding social work values and principles.

  • Deliver social services in diverse cultural communities

    Deliver services which are mindful of different cultural and language traditions, showing respect and validation for communities and being consistent with policies regarding human rights and equality and diversity.

  • Apply organisational techniques

    Employ a set of organisational techniques and procedures which facilitate the achievement of the goals set. Use these resources efficiently and sustainably, and show flexibility when required.

  • Apply crisis intervention

    Respond methodologically to a disruption or breakdown in the normal or usual function of a person, family, group or community.

  • Undertake continuous professional development in social work

    Undertake continuous professional development (CPD) to continuously update and develop knowledge, skills and competences within one`s scope of practice in social work.

  • Refer social service users

    Make referrals to other professionals and other organisations, based on the social service users' requirements and needs.

  • Demonstrate leadership in social service cases

    Take the lead in the practical handling of social work cases and activities.

  • Maintain records of work with service users

    Maintain accurate, concise, up-to-date and timely records of the work with service users while complying with legislation and policies related to privacy and security.

  • Have computer literacy

    Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern day technology in an efficient way.

  • Conduct interview in social service

    Induce clients, colleagues, executives, or public officials to talk fully, freely, and truthfully, so as to explore the interviewee`s experiences, attitudes, and opinions.

  • Negotiate with social service stakeholders

    Negotiate with government institutions, other social workers, family and caregivers, employers, landlords, or landladies to obtain the most suitable result for your client.

  • Consider social impact of actions on service users

    Act according to the political, social and cultural contexts of social service users, considering the impact of certain actions on their social well being.

  • Communicate with social service users

    Use verbal, non-verbal, written, and electronic communication. Pay attention to the specific social service users' needs, characteristics, abilities, preferences, age, developmental stage, and culture.

  • Protect vulnerable social service users

    Intervene to provide physical, moral and psychological support to people in dangerous or difficult situations and to remove to a place of safety where appropriate.

  • Develop professional identity in social work

    Strive to provide the appropriate services to social work clients while staying within a professional framework, understanding what the work means in relation to other professionals and taking into account the specific needs of your clients.

  • Delegate activities

    Delegate activities and tasks to others according to the ability, level of preparation, competence and legal scope of practice. Make sure that people understand what they should do and when they should do it.

  • Promote service users' rights

    Supporting client`s rights to control his or her life, making informed choices about the services they receive, respecting and, where appropriate, promoting the individual views and wishes of both the client and his or her caregivers.

  • Apply case management

    Assess, plan, facilitate, coordinate, and advocate for options and services on behalf of a person.

  • Listen actively

    Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.

  • Comply with legislation related to health care

    Comply with the regional and national legislation that is relevant to one`s work and apply it in practice.

  • Manage social crisis

    Identify, respond and motivate individuals in social crisis situations, in a timely manner, making use of all resources.

  • Adhere to organisational guidelines

    Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.

  • Apply decision making within social work

    Take decisions when called for, staying within the limits of granted authority and considering the input from the service user and other caregivers.

  • Advocate for social service users

    Speak for and on behalf of service users, using communicative skills and knowledge of relevant fields to assist those less advantaged.

  • Provide social counselling

    Assist and guide social service users to resolve personal, social or psychological problems and difficulties.

  • Communicate professionally with colleagues in other fields

    Communicate professionally and cooperate with members of the other professions in the health and social services sector.

  • Work in a multicultural environment in health care

    Interact, relate and communicate with individuals from a variety of different cultures, when working in a healthcare environment.

  • Assess social service users' situation

    Assess the social situation of service users situation balancing curiosity and respect in the dialogue, considering their families, organisations and communities and the associated risks and identifying the needs and resources, in order to meet physical, emotional and social needs.

  • Plan social service process

    Plan the social service process, defining the objective and considering the methods of implementation, identifying and accessing available resources, such as time, budget, personnel and defining indicators to evaluate the outcome.

  • Report on social development

    Report results and conclusions on society's social development in an intelligible way, presenting these orally and in written form to a range of audiences from non-experts to experts.

  • Tolerate stress

    Maintain a temperate mental state and effective performance under pressure or adverse circumstances.

  • Work within communities

    Establish social projects aimed at community development and active citizen participation.

  • Review social service plan

    Review social service plans, taking service users' views and preferences into account. Follow up on the plan, assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.

  • Apply socially just working principles

    Work in accordance with management and organisational principles and values focusing on human rights and social justice.

  • Reflect on practice

    Routinely evaluate own practice, critically evaluating and monitoring the practice methods and outcomes in consistent, coherent and appropriate ways, being aware of relevant methodologies and utilising feedback from managers, supervisors, other professionals, and patients/clients, in order to adapt the practice accordingly.

  • Manage stress in organisation

    Cope with sources of stress and cross-pressure in one's own professional life, such as occupational, managerial, institutional and personal stress, and help others do the same so as to promote the well-being of your colleagues and avoid burn-out.

  • Involve service users and carers in care planning

    Evaluate the needs of individuals in relation to their care, involve families or carers in supporting the development and implementation of support plans. Ensure review and monitoring of these plans.

  • Work in multidisciplinary health teams

    Participate in the delivery of multidisciplinary health care, and understand the rules and competences of other healthcare related professions.

  • Manage ethical issues within social services

    Apply social work ethical principles to guide practice and manage complex ethical issues, dilemmas and conflicts in accordance to occupational conduct, the ontology and the code of ethics of the social services occupations, engaging in ethical decision making by applying standards of national and - as applicable - international codes of ethics or statements of principles.

  • Develop professional network

    Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.

  • Meet standards of practice in social services

    Practice social care and social work in a lawful, safe and effective way according to standards.

  • Address problems critically

    Identify the strengths and weaknesses of various abstract, rational concepts, such as issues, opinions, and approaches related to a specific problematic situation in order to formulate solutions and alternative methods of tackling the situation.

Optional knowledge and skills

evaluate older adults' ability to take care of themselves support the positiveness of youths therapy in health care psychological counselling methods older adults' needs support social service users at the end of life prepare youths for adulthood support children who have experienced trauma support children's wellbeing assess the development of youth promote the safeguarding of young people adolescent psychological development

Source: Sisyphus ODB