The Dialysis Social Worker within the Social work Service of Richard L. Roudebush VAMC, IN assists Veterans who have the diagnosis of End Stage Renal Disease and provides case management services for the chronic renal population. The incumbent will work with Veterans receiving specialty care in the dialysis unit, renal clinic or as inpatients admitted to the medical center in collaboration with the assigned inpatient social worker.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to the following Screening/Assessment - In conjunction with the interdisciplinary medical staff, the Dialysis Social Worker screens and assesses the veteran's psychosocial needs and barriers in order to facilitate his or her access to appropriate VA and community resources. Complete an initial assessment within 90 days of initiation of dialysis and quarterly contacts thereafter, as outlined by CMS guidelines for renal dialysis patient population. Possesses the skills to offer psychosocial interventions, measures outcomes to interventions and conducts Quality of Life Measures as required. Through collaborative relationships with the Veteran, his or her family/caregiver and other VA programs and VA staff, the Dialysis Social Worker coordinates the gathering of information vital to the process of setting appropriate treatment goals and time frames for achieving those goals. Case Management - From screening/assessment information, the Dialysis Social Worker identifies high-risk patients and provides case management services. Provides crisis intervention services, seeking to address the cause as well as the presenting complaint, coordinates family conferences and serves as a liaison to family members involved in care. Has knowledge and experience with addressing adjustment to acute, chronic and traumatic illness/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, medical terminology and organ transplant. Referral to service providers - To facilitate the continuity of a Veteran's recovery, the Dialysis Social Worker will arrange referrals to needed VA and/or community resources (e.g., home health care, assisted living facilities, extended care facilities/nursing homes, services available through area agencies on aging, community support groups, hospice care, community-based extended care). Collaborate with other service providers in re-assessing the Veteran's needs during the eligibility determinations process, coordinating access to information needed for the referral. Additionally, will educate the Veteran and/or caregiver about the available services and their shared responsibility in accessing such services. Resource Usage/Development - As a subject matter expert on the services and resources available to Veterans through both VA and the community, the Dialysis Social Worker will monitor patterns of resource availability, identifying unmet needs and the resultant impact on the veteran's psychosocial functioning. Communicate with appropriate stakeholders (e.g., the Chief of Social Work, the Social Work Practice Council, other VA programs, community partners) to encourage the development of new and innovative resources. Advocacy - The Dialysis Social Worker will advocate for Veterans to ensure that they have access to all needed care and resources within VA and in the community. Crisis Intervention - The Dialysis Social Worker will assess and intervene in crises presented by the Veteran and participate in developing crisis management and safety plans to minimize the event of future crises. Education/Health promotion and prevention - The Dialysis Social Worker will provide education about VA and community resources, entitlement programs, VA benefits and Advance Directives/Living, completing the advanced directive or living will as requested. Supportive counseling - The Dialysis Social Worker will provide the Veteran and his or her family/caregivers with time-limited, supportive counseling. Organ Transplant Assessment - The Dialysis Social Worker will complete Psychosocial Assessments for Organ Transplant candidates as consulted. The Dialysis Social Worker will work in coordination with referring medical staff to insure that Veterans understand the organ-matching process, VA transplant regulations, complications post-transplant and myths regarding organ donation. Advance Directive Screening and completion - The Medical Social Worker will screen Veterans while in the acute care setting to identify need to provide education and offer assistance with completing an advance directive. Non-patient care responsibilities - enter all Veteran/family contacts in the electronic medical record using appropriate formats and templates. This information will be entered in a complete, confidential, timely and professional manner to promote relevant and effective communication with other VA employees about the Veteran's care. Work Schedule: Mon - Fri 7:30-4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 91908-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going tohttp://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Indiana requires Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Exception. VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified, pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations. This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level. For appointments at the GS-9 grade level, VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent, master's level within three years of their appointment May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-9 (Graduate): Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Ability to work with Veterans and family members from various socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds utilizing counseling skills. (b) Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members, and to formulate and implement a treatment plan, identifying the Veterans problems, strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and assistance needed. (c) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups to achieve treatment goals. This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive, problem solving, or crisis intervention techniques. (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients, staff, and representatives of community agencies. (e) Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures. This includes acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries; common medications and their effects/side effects; and medical terminology. Social Worker, GS-11 (Full Performance Level): Experience and Licensure. Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, (VA or non VA experience) and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. Additional Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. (c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. (d) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. (e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. Preferred Experience: Dialysis or Medical social work References: VA Handbook 5005/120 PART II APPENDIX G39 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS9 to GS11. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the position involve standard office requirements such as using the telephone, utilizing the electronic medical record, and working shared office space. Work is intermittently performed sitting at a desk and using a computer. However, the position requires periods of walking, standing, sitting and bending.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Richard L Roudebush VA Medical Center 1481 West Tenth Street Indianapolis, IN 46202 US
• Name: Justina Saucedo
• Phone: 785-409-9018
• Email: [email protected]