Social Worker, Palliative Care

St. Luke’s University Health Network; Allentown (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Luke's University Health Network in Allentown, PA seeks a Social Worker to coordinate complex care planning, provide psychosocial support and assessments for patients with multifaceted needs.

This role supports patients and families through illness, hospitalization and discharge planning, connecting them with resources and services. You will work with an Interdisciplinary team to ensure timely care, advocate for patient rights, and guide appropriate referrals while maintaining compassionate,

Qualifications

• Crisis intervention and short-term psychosocial counseling.
• Psychosocial assessment and management of complex needs.
• Advocacy and linking patients to community resources.
• Education for patients and families on illness, treatment and discharge.

Responsibilities

• Screen patients for psychosocial needs upon referral or high-risk criteria.
• Conduct psychosocial assessments to identify emotional and social issues.
• Provide crisis intervention and supportive counseling for patients and families.
• Facilitate decision making in complex cases and coordinate referrals.
• Document findings and participate in the interdisciplinary team meetings.

Skills

Crisis Intervention

Psychosocial Counseling

Patient Advocacy

Education/Patient Education

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in Social Work

PA Social Work license preferred (LCSW)

Job description

St. Luke's is proud of the skills, experience and compassion of its employees. The employees of St. Luke's are our most valuable asset! Individually and together, our employees are dedicated to satisfying the mission of our organization which is an unwavering commitment to excellence as we care for the sick and injured; educate physicians, nurses and other health care providers; and improve access to care in the communities we serve, regardless of a patient's ability to pay for health care.

The Social Worker is responsible for coordinating the complex care planning needs of patients and families, as well as to provide supportive counseling, psychosocial assessment and interventions for patients with complex psychiatric, social, medical, and financial needs. The social worker provides: information, education, and support; mental health support/guidance; identification of problem areas that require additional intervention; and connecting patients with formal (professional) and less formal (family and community) resources available to address concerns. The Social Worker also assists the interdisciplinary team in order to help the patient and families cope with hospitalization, illness, diagnoses, treatment, and other issues as they prevent a barrier to efficient patient throughput and quality outcomes.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Crisis Intervention and short term psychosocial counseling

• Screens patients, upon referral or according to high risk criteria for psychosocial needs.
• Conducts psychosocial assessment when indicated to identify emotional, social and environmental issues impacting quality outcomes and efficient patient throughput.
• Provides crisis intervention, supportive counseling and advocacy to assist patients and/or family with adjustment associated with illness, hospitalization and/or alternative care placement.
• Facilitates the decision making process in complex cases.
• Seeks appropriate consultation and referral services for psychosocial intervention (both during hospitalization and as follow-up).
• Communicates findings to care coordinator and other members of the interdisciplinary team and intervenes as appropriate in order to ensure a proactive approach to crisis intervention and efficient patient throughput.
• Documents according to policy.

Patient Advocacy

• Helps patient/family understand, accept and follow medical recommendations within the context of self-determination.
• Helps patients understand their rights in regards to patient choice, medical treatment, advanced directives and other related issues.
• Initiates appropriate referrals to the Ethics Committee, Physician Advisor, Risk Management or Legal Services, as appropriate.
• Facilitates resolution of issues surrounding patient care in a compassionate manner, functioning as a patient advocate.
• Coordinates and ensures reporting of mandated child and elder abuse/neglect as required by law.
• Ensures advance directives are in place and honored according to patient wishes.
• Facilitates resource acquisition for the unfunded patient, as available.

Patient Education

• Provides education to patient and families around issues related to adaptation to the patient’s diagnosis, illness, treatment, discharge plan and/or life situation.
• Participates in multi-disciplinary team meetings and provides leadership in representing the social work perspective.
• Serves as a resource to members of the interdisciplinary team and patient/family regarding coverage issues, discharge options and community resources.
• Documents according to policy.

Interpersonal Relationships and Job Performance

• Employs a high degree of skill in all oral and written communications and personal interactions and demonstrates collaborative working relationships.
• Uses appropriate resources and methods to resolve conflict with others.
• Meets assigned deadlines and quality standards without reminder from supervisor or others.
• Maintains a calm, rational, professional demeanor when dealing with others, even in situations involving conflict or crisis.
• Maintains absolute adherence to hospital and departmental policies and practices regarding confidentiality and patient’s rights.
• Demonstrates knowledge and support of the hospital's mission and values.
• Maintains clinical competency and current knowledge of regulatory and payer requirements to perform job responsibilities.
• Comply with all applicable state and federal regulations as well as The Joint Commission requirements regarding the SW process.
• Acts as resource to staff for issues related to Social Work processes Act as resource to the staff for regulatory issues regarding the discharge-planning and psychosocial processes.

PHYSICAL AND SENSORY REQUIREMENTS

Sitting for one to 5 hours per day, 1 ½ hours at a time. Standing for up to 2 hours per day, up to 30 minutes at a time. Walking for up to 30 minutes a day, up to 10 minutes at a time. Frequently uses fingers for typing and writing. Occasionally uses fingers, hands for turning/twisting. Rarely uses the hand for firm grasping. Frequently lifts, carries, pushes and pulls objects up to 10 pounds, occasionally pulls items up to 25 pounds. Frequently stoops, bends, occasionally crouches and reaches above shoulder level. Frequently kneels and squats. Must have the ability to touch as related to telephone and computer keyboard. Must have the ability to hear as it relates to normal conversations and high and low frequencies in person and on the telephone. Has ability for seeing as relates to general vision, peripheral vision and vision monotony. Able to speak clearly as related to communication on the telephone and in person.

Education

• Master’s degree in Social Work from an accredited university
• Current PA Social Work license preferred (LCSW).

Training and Experience

• Minimum of 2 year’s experience working with geriatric population.

Thank you for your interest in St. Luke's!!

St. Luke’s University Health Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Founded in 1872, St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 23,000 employees providing services at 16 campuses and 350+ outpatient sites. With annual net revenue in excess of $4 billion, the Network’s service area includes 11 counties in two states: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. St. Luke’s hospitals operate the largest network of trauma centers in Pennsylvania, with the Bethlehem Campus being home to St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital. SLUHN is the only Lehigh Valley-based health care system to earn Medicare’s five-star ratings (the highest) for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction. It is both a Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades Top Hospital and a Newsweek World’s Best Hospital. The Network’s flagship University Hospital has earned the 100 Top Major Teaching Hospital designation from Premier 13 times total and eleven years in a row, including in 2023 when it was identified as THE #4 TEACHING HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTRY. In 2021, St. Luke’s was identified as one of the 15 Top Health Systems nationally. St. Luke’s is the ONLY health care institution in the Lehigh Valley to be named a Top Workplace regionally repeating the exclusive honor for the third year in a row. Also, for the third straight year, St. Luke’s has been a Top Workplaces in the Philadelphia Region by the Philadelphia Inquirer, ranking 9th in the large employer category for 2025 and the only health care system in PA to receive this award. In 2025, St. Luke’s was recognized as a national Top Workplaces by USA Today, three years in a row, including the 3rd best health care system in the nation in 2023 and 2024. Lastly, in 2025, St. Luke’s was named a Top Workplace in New Jersey for the third year in a row. Learn More Here.