Oncology Clinical Social Worker

Department Overview

The Oncology Clinical Social Worker (OCSW) is a mental/behavioral health clinician who operates as a core

member of a multi-disciplinary oncology team. The OCSW offers social work intervention through direct

treatment and/or coordination of needed services to patients and/or their families experiencing psychosocial

adjustment difficulties associated with illness, injury, disability, and related hospitalization. Interventions may

include: biopsychosocial assessment, brief supportive counseling, care coordination, information/resource

referrals, crisis intervention, and patient/support person(s) advocacy. The primary goal of the intervention is to

assist patients in achieving maximum physical and psychosocial functioning, using evidence-based

interventions targeted at improving health and well-being for a variety of patients. The OCSW also provides

mental health support for patient’s support person(s) as they navigate adjustment to the patient’s illness,

advanced care planning, palliative care needs, and other difficult decisions related to cancer diagnosis/care,

also providing grief/bereavement support when appropriate.

 

The Oncology Clinical Social Worker may support patients who have experienced a hematologic malignancy

or blood cancer diagnosis and their support people both inpatient at OHSU Hospital or outpatient at the Center

for Health and Healing, Building 2. Social workers in this role will support adult cancer patients under the care of a physician at the Knight Cancer Institute and may fluctuate between inpatient and outpatient services. The OCSW will complete assessments, provide resources, and offer emotional/behavioral support for patients receiving medical oncology services or proceeding to bone marrow transplant or CAR-T Cell Therapy and their support people. The OCSW may attend care rounds, care conferences, or other disease-specific team meetings as appropriate. Additionally, this role may require BMT or CAR-T evaluations. Individuals will be expected to cross-cover for each other for planned and unplanned absences within work unit. Individuals may meet with patients and their support people in hospital rooms, exam rooms, consult rooms, infusion spaces, virtually, or by telephone. 

Function/Duties of Position

Patient Services –

• Refers patient/support person(s) to resources within and outside of the hospital for assistance (i.e. financial, housing, transportation, insurance, prescription assistance, etc.)
• Acts as an advocate for patients within the medical setting and the community
• Maintains knowledge of community resources for oncology patients
• May interact with the oncology social work specialist for assistance.

Psychosocial Assessment:

• Conducts psychosocial evaluations of patients/support person(s) to identify needs and areas of support, including but not limited to: adjustment to cancer diagnosis, care coordination, mental health status, barriers to treatment process, substance use, child or elder abuse/neglect, intimate partner violence concerns, financial concerns, and resource needs.
• The OCSW may participate in treatment team meetings or care conferences as the behavioral health clinician to support treatment planning.

Supportive Counseling –

• Provides brief short-term, evidence-based clinical behavioral health interventions to patients and/or their support person(s) in health care settings.
• Works to coordinate transition to long-term counseling support in the community for patients requiring long-term follow-up.
• Provides counseling to reinforce patients’ strengths and assist them in coping with a cancer diagnosis.
• Counsels patients to assist them in decisions related to treatment options and educates patients regarding anticipated social or emotional impacts of treatment.
• May participate in urgent situations by providing crisis intervention services to patients and/or their support person(s).
• May also conduct group work including support group facilitation to patients, caregivers, and/or staff.

Documentation –

• Maintains accurate and timely documentation of patient care activities in an efficient manner per department policies and workflows to ensure continuity of care.

Required Qualifications

• A Master’s Social Work (MSW) required.  Health care experience preferred.

   

• Certificate of Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) required for employees who practice clinical social work.

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies):

• Experience in behavioral/m