Veterinary Social Worker

Premier Veterinary Group is looking for a full-time Veterinary Social Worker to support our Chicago and Mundelein locations!

The Veterinary Social Worker (VSW) provides multifaceted emotional support to clients and employees, consultation regarding clients to veterinary staff, support services, short term interventions, and educational programs for all employees of the hospital. The Veterinary Social Worker will work in concert with medical staff, client care staff, the Learning and Development department, People and Organization department and hospital leadership to foster an environment of mindful compassion and support within the hospital.

Responsibilities:

• Provide pet loss counseling to clients by phone and in person.
• Establish and maintain consistent documentation of client and staff intervention, while maintaining confidentiality.
• Facilitate (organize, implement, maintain, and promote) a pet loss support group. Assist clients in end-of-life decision making in collaboration with staff and doctors.
• Provide informal debriefing services to staff members, individually, or in groups.
• In conjunction with the People & Organization department, provide other short-term interventions such as mediation of conflict, assessment, and referral for outside and/or EAP counseling.
• Consult with the People and Organization department, Hospital Leadership Teams and Regional Team regarding the wellness of staff to enhance hospital functioning.
• Present topics of Veterinary Social Work expertise such as compassion fatigue, stress management, work/life balance, communication skills, grief, and pet loss.
• Provide resources for staff regarding wellness accessibility on website, email, and/or newsletter Provide support and counseling to clients as needed, or by request from doctors or staff.
• Provide consultation to doctors and staff regarding the Veterinary Social Worker's assessment of clients to facilitate treatment and effective communication.
• Enrich and enhance the hospital environment to provide the most peaceful and meaningful euthanasia process possible.
• Develop a Veterinary Social Worker Internship program in collaboration with local colleges and universities.

Skills and Experience:

• 4 years of experience - preferably in a medical, hospice, or mental health setting.
• Experience with grief/bereavement counseling is required
• Experience with trauma and PTSD counseling experience is required
• Excellent oral and written communication skills required.
• Must be able work independently.
• Must be able to provide services needed by clients and staff in an emotionally intense, fast paced setting.
• Must be able to patiently mentor social work interns while also being able to delegate tasks and teach skills.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a plus.

Education, License, and Job Requirements:

• Master’s degree in Social Work

Schedule and Compensation:

• Flexible schedule to include rotating weekends and evenings as needed
• Salary range $65-75K
• *This is an on-site position supporting our Chicago and Mundelein locations.

Ethos Veterinary Health is at the forefront of innovation and world-class medicine. As the premier network of over 140 specialty and emergency hospitals across North America, Ethos brings together a dedicated community of more than 1,500 specialized doctors providing care for nearly 2 million pets annually. The integrated and collaborative network of veterinary professionals utilize state-of-the-art technology and a scientific, evidence-based approach to deliver compassionate, un