How to Become a Hospice Social Worker

Hospice social workers play critical roles in providing compassionate care and support to individuals and their families during some of life’s most difficult and heartbreaking moments. Empathy is just as powerful of a skill in this field as professional know-how.

Those who are driven by the wish to make positive impacts on people’s lives during their most trying moments might do well to become hospice social workers, as this is indeed a fulfilling career choice with abundant rewards. But how to become a hospice social worker? Familiarize yourself with the career outlook, steps to gain employment, and what to expect in terms of pay before you settle on this as your social work career path.

Career Outlook

In the United States (and around the world) has seen a boom in the older adult population, which has contributed to an increased need for many healthcare services, including hospice care. As the elderly population continues to grow,  and all Baby Boomers will be over 65 by the year 2030, the demand for hospice services – and hospice social workers in particular – is also likely to climb.

Palliative care, which emphasizes providing relief from pain and suffering for patients with terminal illnesses. Hospice social workers provide practical and emotional support to individuals and their families.

On top of that, hospice social workers are being impacted by changes in healthcare policies and insurance coverage, which have helped increase demand for hospice care workers in all capacities. There are more job opportunities to come in this field as efforts to expand services and access to end-of-life care undergo major systemic changes.

Since society is coming to recognize the importance of healthcare work, interdisciplinary care in healthcare settings, such as hospice, has become increasingly acknowledged. Hospice social workers are part of a larger team of providers, including nurses, doctors, counselors, and chaplains, all of whom strive to provide comprehensive care to their patients.

While this career can be physically, mentally, and emotionally difficult at times, hospice care workers often find their careers to be rewarding. Providing compassionate caregiving and support to individuals in hospice as well as to their loved ones brings a lot of intrinsic rewards. Given how rewarding this career can be, many hospice social workers stay in the field for most of their career.

Salary

As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hospice social workers in the United States make an average annual salary of $60,840. However, the salary of a hospice social worker can vary based on various factors such as location, level of education, years of experience, and the organization at which someone works. A hospice social worker with a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and a few years of experience could expect to earn a higher salary than one with just a BSW. Entry-level positions or someone who simply does not have as much work experience in the field might earn somewhat lower salaries, which usually hover between $40,000 and $50,000.

Hospice social workers with additional experience and expertise could potentially progress to more senior roles or leadership positions that pay higher salaries. Higher earnings are also found among social workers with advanced certifications in hospice and palliative care.

Of course, annual income can vary quite significantly by location. If you live in a major metropolitan area or a region that has a higher cost of living tend, you could very well be offered a higher salary to compensate for the elevated cost of living expenses. On the other hand, less affluent or rural areas might offer lower salaries.

What’s more, salaries in the healthcare industry – which includes hospice care – can be impacted by changes in healthcare policies, funding, and various other external factors. As time goes on, expect to see these kinds of changes as the field expands with the rising demand for hospice social workers.

How to Become a Hospice Social Worker

This is not a job you can simply attain by applying to open positions. It requires a combination of education and experience. Before you settle on this as your career, it is important to get a clear understanding of this career role and what the responsibilities of a hospice social worker are.

These folks are professionals who work within interdisciplinary teams. They often collaborate with nurses, doctors, chaplains, and other healthcare professionals to provide high-quality holistic care to terminally ill patients and their loved ones. Their focus is on providing emotional support, counseling, and practical assistance. They make sure that their patients receive the dignity and respect they deserve and experience a good quality of life right up until the very end.

There are some personal qualities and skills that are becoming of a great hospice social worker. You might wish to spend some time cultivating them as you pursue your education options and get your foot in the social work door.

A successful hospice social worker possesses a unique set of skills and qualities. These include:

• Self-care: Practicing self-care is essential to prevent burnout and maintain personal well-being since this career role can be very emotionally demanding and challenging.
• Empathy and compassion: It is important that hospice social workers can empathize with patients and their families during incredibly stressful and trying times. This makes it so that hospice social workers can best provide emotional support.
• Problem-solving: Hospice social workers encounter complex situations on a regular basis and need to utilize their strong problem-solving skills to address their patients’ diverse array of needs and challenges.
• Active listening: It is incredibly important that a hospice social worker be present in the moment, actively listening to their patients’ questions and concerns. This is critical for constructing strong therapeutic relationships.
• Communication: Effective verbal and written communication is imperative for delivering accurate information, providing effective and empathetic counseling, and working well with the rest of the patient’s interdisciplinary team.
• Cultural sensitivity: Hospice social workers work with diverse populations. This means that having cultural competence is pivotal. A great hospice social worker should be able to understand and respect the diverse beliefs and customs of the different communities that they serve.

Day in the Life

What is it like to work in the field daily? This is a job role that puts you in constant contact with other people and has quite a bit of structure to it. You are there to provide support to terminally ill patients and their families during their darkest and most troubling times. Specific duties and activities will vary based on the hospice organization, the needs of the patients, and the stage of care.

Review caseload

Typically, the workday starts with you reviewing your schedule and patient caseload. You might need to prioritize certain visits based on patient needs and urgency. You might also need to review patient charts, medical records, and care plans so that you are prepared for the day to come.

Visit patients

You will likely have regular visits with patients in their homes, nursing facilities, or in hospitals. You will need to provide emotional support, counseling, and assistance with practical matters during these patient visits. You might also need to help patients and their families cope with the challenges of a terminal illness, discuss end-of-life care decisions, and go over any emotional or psychosocial concerns.

Collaborate

Since this is an interdisciplinary role, you will regularly collaborate with other healthcare professionals. Participating in team meetings to discuss patients’ progress, care plans, and any adjustments needed to meet patients’ unique needs is a normal part of the day.

Conduct family meetings

Conducting family meetings to facilitate communication and decision-making among family members is another part of the workday. These meetings address a variety of topics, including treatment options, advance care planning, and addressing conflicts or emotional issues within the family.

Connect patients with services

Hospice social workers do more than just counseling; they help connect patients and their families with much-needed support services. This can include setting up home care assistance, giving out information regarding community resources, and helping with financial and/or legal issues related to planning for the end of the patient’s life.

Support families

Beyond supporting terminally ill patients, hospice social workers also give bereavement support to their families after the patient has passed away. You could end up spending some of your workday counseling families and connecting them with resources to help them cope with their loss, including grief support groups.

Record-keeping

Hospice social workers are required to maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation for their patients and families. Writing notes about progress, assessments, and other types of paperwork are often required on a regular basis.

Continuing education

It is important for a hospice social worker to stay current with the field’s best practices and current trends, so it is common to engage in ongoing education and professional development. You might need to attend conferences, workshops, or special training sessions related to social work and hospice care.

Self-care

The job of a hospice social worker can be quite emotionally demanding, so it is important that you take care of yourself, too. Engaging in self-care, gaining support from your supervisors and colleagues, and coming up with healthy ways to process your own unique emotions are important elements of the daily routine.

A day in the life of a hospice social worker is all about providing compassionate care to people who are at the end of their lives. You will need to ensure the comfort and dignity of your patients and support their families during an incredibly challenging time in their lives. Working as a hospice social worker can be incredibly fulfilling and make a huge emotional impact on you and those around you as you help others through some of life’s most difficult and vulnerable moments.

Licensure, Certifications and Continuing Education

Education, of course, is imperative for becoming a hospice social worker. Becoming a hospice social worker usually requires formal education in social work starting at the bachelor’s level. While specific requirements can vary by region, a bachelor’s degree in social work (otherwise known as a BSW) is typically the first step in becoming a hospice social worker. These degrees normally take about four years to complete and are a great gateway into social work positions.

Advanced education

To obtain more specialized training and advanced job opportunities with better pay, many individuals choose to pursue a Master of Social Work (MWS) from an accredited institution of higher learning. A MSW degree takes approximately two years to complete, and during your education, you will have to complete a set number of hours of practical experience in the field. In fact, many MSW programs include internships or field placements since it is important that students gain hands-on experience in healthcare settings. You might also wish to seek out internships or volunteer opportunities with hospice organizations, hospitals, or community-based palliative care centers in your community.

During your academic journey, you may wish to focus on taking courses that emphasize end-of-life care, bereavement counseling, grief and loss, medical ethics, and palliative care. The more well-rounded of an education you get, the better prepared you will be to tackle the unique challenged that hospice social workers often face.

Obtain licensure

You will need to obtain licensure to work as a hospice social worker. Licensure requirements will likely vary based on the state in which you reside, so be sure to thoroughly research your state’s specific regulations on licensure and practice. Social workers need to obtain a license to independently practice in their field. After you finish your college education and get the required supervised experience under your belt, you will need to apply for licensure through the appropriate state board.

Continuing education

On top of gaining state licensure, you will likely want to consider obtaining certifications specific to hospice and palliative care. Organizations like the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) provide certifications that show you have special knowledge and experience in your given subfield of social work. Having such elevated credentialing opens more high-paying job opportunities for you.

Getting Started

A career as a hospice social worker means you care deeply about those facing difficult end-of-life decisions. Starting your educational journey is the next step. Inquire with a few schools to find the best fit for your situation. Good luck!