SKILLED NURSING FACILITY

• Competitive Pay
• Benefits for the Entire Family
• Scheduling App
• Recognition and Rewards Program
• Vacation, Holiday, and Sick Pay
• 401k Plan Available
• Employee Discounts

• Job Summary

The Director of Social Services’ primary purpose is to plan, organize, develop, and direct the overall operation of our facility’s Social Services Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations, our established policies and procedures to assure that the medically related emotional and social needs of the resident are met/maintained on an individual basis.

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  Essential Functions

Every effort has been made to make your job description as complete as possible. However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or is a logical assignment to the position.

Residents Rights

• Knows and respects patient rights.

• Informs and supports residents/patients in exercising their rights.

• Provides residents with information concerning resident rights, living wills, etc. Explains as necessary.

• Participates in resident/group council meetings as requested and provides support services to such council.

• Ensures protected health information is kept confidential.

• Reports complaints made by residents/patients to supervisor.

• Reports all allegations of patient abuse, neglect and/or misappropriation of patient property and participates in investigations.

Safety and Sanitation

• Follows established safety policies and procedures.

• Observes safety needs of patient as indicated in care plan; participates in restraint reduction program.

• Wears and/or uses safety equipment and supplies when indicated and properly trained to use.

• Demonstrates job-specific knowledge of fire and disaster preparedness during drills or actual situations.

Staff Development

• Attends and participates in scheduled in-service training, educational classes, and meetings to maintain current certification and/or licensure as managed by regulatory agencies and organization policies.

• Ensure that all social services personnel are knowledgeable of the resident’s rights and responsibilities including the right of refusal.

• Attends orientation as available and directed by the Executive Director to train new staff in resident rights, trauma-informed care, behavior management, etc.

• Trains staff in resident rights, psychosocial needs, behavioral management and documentation, advance directives, limited treatment practices, and social/emotional needs of the aged and/or disabled.

• Completes assigned Relias training.

Director of Social Services Responsibilities

• Plans, develops, organizes, implements, evaluates, and directs the social service programs of facility.

• Identifies cognitive impairments, signs of mood problems, and psychosocial needs and follows-up as needed.

• Participates in community planning related to the interests of the facility and the services and needs of the resident and family.

• Communicates effectively with the interdisciplinary team, patients, families, legal representatives, and community agencies.

• Interviews resident/families as necessary and in a private setting.

• Maintains accurate and timely documentation, which complies with federal/state regulations, organization policy, and specific facility practices, including, but not limited to, Advanced Directives, Minimum Data Set (MDS), Social Service History and Assessment, CAA’s, Care Plans, Social Service Progress Notes, PASARR and Discharge Planning documentation, Behavior Tracking and monitoring of cognitive and psycho-social changes, and psych services.

• Supports each patient’s right to self-determination; Documents patient refusal of services offered; Informs patient of any therapeutic alternatives to the refused service; Involves others, as appropriate, to help educate the patient about the alternatives.

• Facilitates communication among patient, family, and interdisciplinary team members to ensure that patients are provided with risk/benefit information regarding significant health care decisions.

• Coordinates care conferences. Assist in the scheduling of care plans and assessments to be presented and discussed at each meeting.

• Coordinates the discharge planning process.

• Plans to obtain necessary DME, adaptive equipment, clothing, and personal items.

• Maintains contact with family (with resident’s permission) to report on changes in health, current goals, discharge planning, and encouragement to participate in care planning.

• Makes appropriate referrals to other consultants, community agencies, or facility departments to facilitate the patient’s maximum use of resources, and to promote the patient’s increased level of social functioning and meet needs of the resident.

• Aids with the residents’/patients’ admission to assure a smooth transition; Contacts the new resident/patient and/or family as needed to ensure that needs are being met and that difficulties are being resolved.

• Informs resident/patient, family, or legal representative of Medicare/Medicaid program benefits and assists with application for these alternative funding programs for nursing home care.

• Encourages resident autonomy by promoting attendance at patient council meetings.

• Advises patient of his/her right to vote, and aids with voting, if requested.

• Provides orientation and in-service training, as directed by the Executive Director, to nursing home personnel regarding patient rights, advanced directives and limited treatment practices, and the social/emotional needs of the aged and/or disabled, psychosocial needs, and behavior management guidelines and documentation.

• Acts as a liaison with psychiatry consultants and services.

• Informs resident/patient, family, or legal representative of Medicare/Medicaid program benefits and assists with application for these alternative funding programs for nursing home care.

• Identifies and seeks ways to support resident’s individual needs and preferences, customary routines, concerns and choices through the assessment and care planning process.

• Builds relationships between residents and staff and teaching staff how to understand and support resident’s individual needs.

• Promotes actions by staff that maintain or enhance each resident’s dignity in full recognition of each resident’s individuality.

• Assists staff to inform residents and those they designate about the resident health status and health care choices and their ramifications; Supports each resident’s right to self-determination; Documents resident refusal of services offered; Informs resident of any therapeutic alternatives to the refused service; Involves others, as appropriate, to help educate the resident about the alternatives.

• Finds options that most meet the physical and emotional needs of each resident.

• Facilitates trauma-informed care.

• Meets the needs of residents who are grieving.

• Arranges or provides necessary transportation for residents.

• Makes roommate changes as necessary, documents, and notifies appropriate parties.

Supervisory/People Management Responsibilities

• Assist in the development, administering, and coordinating of department policies and procedures.

• Assists in planning, coordinating, and conducting continuing education programs and special in-service training sessions relevant to the needs of department personnel.

• Staffs the department with capable people.

• Ensures that employees are adequately oriented and trained to perform their duties.

• Reviews employee performance annually and makes recommendations for pay increases, promotions or performance improvement plans as deemed appropriate.

• Counsels/disciplines personnel as necessary up to and including termination.

• Establishes and maintains effective two-way communication to understand the needs and concerns of

• employees.

• Properly manages employees’ personal information.

• Devotes adequate time and attention to personal development and training, particularly in the management of people resources.

• Receives, investigates, and responds to employee complaints.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Assists in developing and updating departmental procedures.

• Keeps abreast of current federal and state regulations, as well as professional standards.

• Maintains required records and reports.

• Participates in department budget planning and supplies monthly report to Executive Director as directed.

• Participates in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies as necessary or as may be directed.

• Review and develop a plan of correction for social service deficiencies noted during survey inspections and provide a written copy of such to the Executive Director.

• Monitors the facility’s QI, QM, and survey reports relative to social services and make recommendations to correct identified problem areas. Participates in QAPI.

• Ensures that all social services personnel are aware of the care plan and that care plans are used in providing daily social services to the resident.

• Reviews nurses’ notes to determine if the care plan is being followed. Reports problem areas to the DHS.

• Serves as a backup for the admissions process when necessary and ensures there is no disruption to admissions.

• Performs any miscellaneous work assignments as may be required.

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  Education/Qualifications

• For facilities with > 120 beds: Director of Social Services must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in social work or a bachelor’s degree in a human services field including, but not limited to, sociology, gerontology, special education, rehabilitation counseling, and psychology.

• For facilities with <120 beds: Director of Social Services a High School Diploma is required; Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or a Human Services field desirable.

• If required by state regulation, must be licensed.

• Demonstrates strong organizational and analytical skills.

• Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.

• Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.

• Must demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age-related needs of the residents served.

• Must possess the ability to deal tactfully with personnel, residents, family members, visitors, government agencies/personnel and the public.

• Must possess leadership ability and willingness to work harmoniously with and supervise other personnel.

• Must have patience, tact, cheerful disposition, and enthusiasm, as well as be willing to handle residents based on whatever maturity level in which they are currently functioning.

• Persons who have been found guilty by a court of law or identified in by any registry, regulatory, or licensing body of abusing, neglecting, or mistreating individuals in a health care related setting are ineligible for employment in the position.

• Persons who have been found guilty by a court of law of misappropriation, forgery, fraud, or theft are ineligible for this position.

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  Experience

• For facilities with > 120 beds: Must have at least one year of supervised social work experience in a health care setting working directly with individuals.

• For facilities with < 120 beds: Prefer experience in a LTC or Nursing Home setting.

• Demonstrates computer skills with a working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (e.g., Word Excel, Outlook, etc.).

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  Physical Demands

• Must be able to push, pull, move, and/or lift a minimum of 25 pounds to a minimum height of 5 feet and be able to push, pull, move, and/or carry such weight a minimum distance of 50 feet.

• Sitting, standing, walking, talking, hearing, and fingering. Involves sitting most of the time, but also involves walking or standing for periods of time to give facility tours, attend care plans, visit residents and families, etc.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision.

• This position requires extensive use of office equipment including computers, phones, fax, scanner, etc. Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.

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