A hospital social worker also referred to as a healthcare social worker, helps patients and their families by comprehending diagnoses, problems, and available treatments. They aid in the creation of treatment programs, give doctors and nurses with patient emotional and mental assessments, and assist patients and families with coping mechanisms. The hospital social worker salary might have captivated you into this career path.
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What is A Hospital Social Worker?
A hospital social worker helps patients and their families in a hospital or healthcare facility by supporting them when help is needed.
They provide services and help to those who are recovering from medical conditions. Following a thorough evaluation of the patient’s post-hospital support requirements, they will collaborate with the patient’s family, support network, and healthcare providers to develop a customized discharge plan.
In-home support services including rides to and from appointments, any required medical equipment, meal plans, counseling, and any other essential follow-up care should be included of this discharge plan. They plan and make sure that patients receive the best possible care both at home and in the hospital.
How Do Hospital Social Workers Work?
Hospital social workers commonly perform the following duties:
- Offers patients supportive assistance, psychotherapy, and grief counseling.
- Arranges for any in-home healthcare the patient might require after being released.
- Represents patients’ interests both within and outside of the hospital.
- Intervenes in any medical emergency, such as one involving abuse or trauma
- Identifies a patient’s needs and provides assistance to that patient with thorough evaluation reports.
Regular Work Hours
Although this job is normally full-time, the hours may vary and are frequently shift work or on-call hours because the workplace is in a hospital setting.
Future Job Growth
This role will continue to grow and be in high demand due to the growing older population and the tightening of state regulations regarding the mandatory, legal, and proper care of patients by healthcare providers and their families when dealing with an illness.
Common Employers
Hospitals employ the vast majority of healthcare social workers. While others frequently work for the government, in hospices, retirement complexes, and assisted living facilities.
How To Start As A Social Worker In A Hospital
It is essential for healthcare social workers to have strong interpersonal skills in order to develop relationships with patients and their families that are effective and fruitful. They must possess excellent problem-solving abilities for complex problems with original solutions as well as the ability to fully comprehend and assess a patient’s needs.
For this position, a master’s degree in social work or psychology is necessary. A certain number of supervised hours with a licensed hospital social worker in a hospital setting, as required by your state, must also be completed in addition to the graduate program’s necessary courses. After that, they have to pass a state medical examination to get their license.
Hospital Social Worker Salary Information
The information about the salary of this profession below will help in learning more. The pay and growth information on this page is based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that was just released. The average national annual salary is $54,020 and the average national salary on an hourly basis is $26.
How much money do Hospital Social Workers make compared to other professions?
Hospital social workers can earn an average yearly salary of $54,020, or $26 per hour, according to the most recent employment statistics countrywide. It is therefore a Salary Above Average. When first starting out or depending on the state you live in, they may make as little as $40,690 or $20 per hour.
How has the job growth for Hospital Social Workers compared to other professions?
For a total of 191,000 people employed in the career nationwide by 2024, 30,900 jobs will change. This represents a growth change of 19.3% during the subsequent 10 years, giving the career a national growth rate of Below Average.