Part-Time Social Worker - Rendevor Dialysis

Who is Rendevor (formerly CharDonnay) Dialysis?

We are a family-owned and operated company founded over 25 years ago by a Dialysis RN who believes everyone is entitled to excellent medical treatment from talented clinicians.

Our Mission

To bring thriving on-site dialysis partnerships to any under-serviced healthcare institutions in need.

What’s In It For You?

Our company offers competitive compensation above industry standards, and we pride ourselves in providing our employees a caring, positive culture.

We offer Part-Time Employees:

• 401(k) with 100% employer match up to 4% with immediate vesting
• Extremely Competitive Pay
• Employer-paid assistance program with complimentary counseling, wellness, and legal sessions for employees and household members

What You’ll Do

The Social Worker is an active member of the unit’s IDT and is responsible for conducting psychosocial assessments and evaluations, developing knowledge, and understanding of the needs of clinically complex dialysis patients, participating in team review of the patient’s current psychosocial needs, and making recommendations, providing counseling services to patients dealing with special problems associated with ESR and assisting with placement at community dialysis center upon release.

This dialysis unit is in:

• La Grange, KY within Kentucky State Reformatory

This dialysis unit operates:

• Monday/Wednesday/Friday from 4:30 am - 5:00 pm

As in any setting, this involves teamwork and coordinating care with the healthcare team. In addition to the healthcare team, you are also required to maintain strong relationships, regular communication, and visibility with clients (site Managed Healthcare DOC/BOP, etc.).

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Master’s Degree in Social Work with a specialization in clinical practice from a college or university accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); and
• Have a preferred one-year experience providing care to patients on dialysis, working in a transplantation unit or as otherwise outlined by state regulations; and/or
• Must meet licensure requirements in state of practice
• Current CPR certification (or within 3 months of hire)

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Ability to cover multiple units
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and satisfactorily communicate in English.
• Strong technical/computer proficiency with laptops, tablets, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, SharePoint, etc.
• Participates in care planning collaboration with the patient and healthcare team to identify effective interventions that will help the patient meet rehabilitation, treatment goals, and improve quality of life.
• Provide established outcomes-driven psycho-educational counseling methods aimed at improving areas of need, treatment adherence, vocational/educational rehabilitation, and/or quality of life.
• Provides supportive and goal-directed counseling to patients who are seeking transplant.
• Participates in new patient orientation to dialysis and assists patients in adjusting to the treatment and alterations in lifestyle.
• Follows up on patients in hospital as requested by the Nurse Manager.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• As a member of the interdisciplinary team, completes a comprehensive patient assessment according to timeline and within scope of practice, assesses patients’ psychosocial status, strengths, and area of need that may affect rehabilitation and optimal treatment outcomes as part of the comprehensive patient assessment based on KDQOL assessment and guidelines.
• Participates in care planning in collaboration with the patient and healthcare team to identify effective interventions that will help the patient meet rehabilitation, treatment goals, and improve quality of life.
• Provides established outcomes-driven psycho-educational counseling methods aimed at improving areas of need, treatment adherence, vocational/educational rehabilitation, and/or quality of life.
• Provide supportive and goal-directed counseling to patients who are seeking transplant.
• Participates in new patient orientation to dialysis and assists patients in adjusting to the treatment and alterations in lifestyle.
• Follows up on patients in hospitals as requested by Nurse Manager.
• Assesses patient awareness of advance directives; assists with accessing advanced directive forms/information and facilitates discussion of advance directive wishes, if necessary, with the healthcare team and the patient’s family/support persons, as applicable and according to outlined institutional policies.
• In conjunction with the healthcare team, will provide general information about Do Not Resuscitate Orders and Advanced Directives as applicable and according to institutional policy.
• Provides information and assists the team and patient with referral to community resources (home health services, vocational rehabilitation, etc.) to facilitate optimal treatment outcomes as needed.
• Maintains current knowledge regarding local vocational/educational rehabilitation programs and assist patients with referral and access to vocational rehabilitation to enable them to remain employed, become employed, or receive education.
• In collaboration with the facility, physician, and nurse, participates in the discussion of patient DNR status to ensure patient understanding and informed decision-making.
• Provides usual care and/or Social Work Intensive to address non-adherence and quality of life concerns for all patients.
• Assess patient knowledge of kidney disease for barriers that may affect adherence to treatment and works with patient, family (as applicable), and health care team to provide education tailored to the patient’s learning style and needs.
• With other members of the interdisciplinary team, provides appropriate information about all treatment modalities.
• Contributes to the transplant referral process as requested and collaborates with interdisciplinary team.
• Reviews patient rights and responsibilities, grievance information (company and network), and other facility policies with patient and/or the patient’s representative to ensure patient’s understanding of the rights and expectations of them as applicable per institution.
• Collaborates with facility management, financial, and billing team to address patient issues related to insurance, as applicable and according to institutional policy.
• Provides information and education to patients about payment for dialysis (federal, state, commercial insurance, state renal programs, AKF HIPP, and entitlement programs), if applicable.
• Reassess patient demographic and insurance information changes every quarter. Notifies all appropriate departments of changes (Site specific duty).
• Conducts support/psycho-educational sessions for staff whenever the need is indicated by the Nurse Manager.
• Knows and follows all Rendevor Dialysis policies and procedures for infection control; understands the hazards of failure to follow those procedures.
• Actively participates in facilities’ quality program.
• Participates on the IDT and QAPI committee and attends scheduled meetings.
• Identifies and reports concerns, issues, and opportunities for improvement when identified.
• Participates in performance improvement projects within licensure and scope of practice.
• Participates in in annual QAPI training and other continuing education as assigned and required.
• Provides suggestions for alternate strategies for indicators not meeting goal or improving.
• Assist in building and maintaining a facility/clinic culture of safety and quality.
• Reports errors and near misses so that steps can be taken to prevent recurrence.
• Reports any negative feedback, complaints, grievances from other staff members, patients, and families.
• Uses evidence-based guidelines and proper infection control practices.
• Displays a proactive approach and is assertive in all aspects of governing unit functions.
• Utilizes resources to improve skills, knowledge, and practice to assure continuous quality patient care and delivery of Rendevor Dialysis services.
• Knowledgeable in ESRD, KDQOL, CDC, OSHA, AAMI, NKF, Network and Medicare standards.
• Maintain patient-specific psychosocial information in the HER system.
• Works with patient and IDT to establish, document, and update patient’s plan of care.
• Ensure continuity of care as patient transitions to and from the facility.
• Demonstrates Rendevor Dialysis’ mission and values daily.
• Displays and maintains positive attitude and promotes same to others.
• Displays ability to multi-task, prioritize, problem-solve, and handle stressful situation in a timely manner.
• Provides education to staff pertaining to psychosocial needs of patients and provides consultation to staff with job-related concerns.
• Develops and maintains a resource file of current educational information which pertains to dialysis patients.
• Reviews literature and/or utilizes appropriate educational resources (i.e. workshops, conferences, etc.) to update knowledge and develop skills according to policy.
• Contributes to harmonious and constructive working relationships with all staff members to promote a positive and productive atmosphere.
• Promotes a teamwork approach by offering information, advice, and assistance to all unit staff members in a positive, courteous, and cooperative manner.
• Knows and adheres to all company and/or facility policies and procedures as required; monitors staff compliance of same and communicates results timely to leadership.
• Demonstrates strong communication skills, visibility and establishes productive relationships with Rendevor Dialysis team, partners, vendors, and Medical Directors.
• Reports any incidents to Nurse Manager and/or Regional Director.
• Checks email at least weekly and responds appropriately and timely; uses company-provided email for all work-related email communications.
• Adheres to company policies and procedures.
• Demonstrates and maintains regular and predictable attendance and punctuality.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervision:

• This position will report directly to the Unit Leader.

Work Environment:

This job exists in a hospital or in the medical unit of a post-acute or correctional facility. This role may include exposure to chemicals and blood-borne pathogens. This role routinely involved the use of both medical and standard office equipment.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms. This position requires the ability to push, pull or lift up to 50 pounds. Specific visual abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus. The employee is required to work the full schedule which may range from five to fifteen hours per day, based on the unit requirements (i.e. patient census, staffing needs, etc.).

Rendevor (formerly CharDonnay) Dialysis is an Equal-Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.