Social Worker – Acute Care Inpatient

Location: Mission Viejo, CA
Start Date: ASAP
Shift: Day Shift
Shift Timing: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Schedule: 5x8 Hours
Hours per Week: 40 Hours
Duration: 13 weeks

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced Social Worker to join an acute care hospital in Mission Viejo, California. The ideal candidate will have recent inpatient hospital experience, prior travel assignment experience, and strong skills in medical social work, case management, discharge planning, and patient care coordination.

The selected candidate will manage a caseload of approximately 20–23 patients, working collaboratively with healthcare professionals to support patient needs and ensure safe, timely discharges.

Job Requirements & Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of experience.

• At least 1 full year of acute care inpatient hospital experience is required.

• Must have recent hospital experience within the last 3 months.

• Previous travel assignment experience is mandatory. First-time travelers will not be accepted.

• Epic experience is mandatory (hard-stop requirement).

• Required qualifications: Master of Social Work (MSW) and BLS certification.

• LCSW is preferred.

• Trauma Level I or Level II experience is preferred.

• California state license is not required.

• Must be willing to float to the Laguna facility.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct biopsychosocial assessments and review patient medical and social histories.

• Evaluate patient needs and develop individualized plans of care.

• Coordinate care with physicians, nurses, and interdisciplinary healthcare teams.

• Facilitate discharge planning and coordinate home care, medical equipment, rehabilitation, and long-term care referrals.

• Provide crisis intervention and address high-risk situations involving suicide, homicide, self-harm, or patient safety concerns.

• Assist with case management, utilization review, admission criteria, appeals, and denials.

• Connect patients with community resources for housing, transportation, financial assistance, insurance, and medication support.

• Educate patients and caregivers about discharge plans, available services, and follow-up care.

• Maintain accurate documentation of assessments, care plans, interventions, and patient progress in Epic.

• Support patients and families with protective services, advance directives, guardianship, and power-of-attorney matters.

• Collaborate with internal and external service providers to promote quality, cost-effective care.

Required Skills & Experience

• Medical social work in a short-term acute care inpatient setting.

• Case management and utilization review.

• Discharge planning and care coordination.

• Biopsychosocial assessment and crisis intervention.

• Patient advocacy and community resource navigation.

• Knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid, HMOs, prior authorizations, and social assistance programs.

• Understanding of protective services, patient rights, and professional social work ethics.

• Strong documentation, communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration skills.

Preferred Experience

• Trauma Level I or Level II hospital experience.

• ICU, labor and delivery/mother-baby, NICU, pediatrics, or other specialized acute care experience.

• LCSW qualification.

• Experience supporting patients with complex medical and psychosocial needs.

Hospital & Work Environment

• Facility Type: Acute Care Hospital.

• Work Setting: Short-Term Acute Care Inpatient Medical Social Work.

• Caseload: 20–23 patients.

• Scrub Color: Turquoise.

• Floating Requirement: Laguna facility.

Schedule & Time-Off Requirements

• Day shift: 8:00 AM–4:30 PM.

• Five shifts per week, totaling 40 hours.

• The department operates seven days a week; workdays and days off may vary.

• Consecutive days off are not guaranteed, although the facility will make an effort to accommodate them.

• Requested time off (RTO) must not exceed 7 days.

Important Submission Requirements

• Start date: ASAP.

• Recent acute care inpatient hospital experience is mandatory.

• Previous travel assignment experience is mandatory.

• Epic experience is a hard-stop requirement.

• First-time travelers will not be accepted.

• Candidates must be willing to float to the Laguna facility.

• California state license is not required.

 

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