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Date: 04/24/2025

Healthcare Social Workers

Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family caregivers. Provide patients with information and counseling, and make referrals for other services. May also provide case and care management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Utilize consultation data and social work experience to plan and coordinate client or patient care and rehabilitation, following through to ensure service efficacy.
    • Develop or advise on social policy and assist in community development.
    • Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan.
    • Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs.
    • Organize support groups or counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, and supporting the client or patient.
    • Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records.
    • Investigate child abuse or neglect cases and take authorized protective action when necessary.
    • Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.
    • Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan.
    • Educate clients about end-of-life symptoms and options to assist them in making informed decisions.
    • Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records.
    • Oversee Medicaid- and Medicare-related paperwork and recordkeeping in hospitals.
    • Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records.
    • Supervise and direct other workers providing services to clients or patients.
    • Modify treatment plans to comply with changes in clients' status.
    • Conduct social research to advance knowledge in the social work field.
    • Counsel clients and patients in individual and group sessions to help them overcome dependencies, recover from illness, and adjust to life.
    • Plan and conduct programs to combat social problems, prevent substance abuse, or improve community health and counseling services.
    • Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises.
    • Educate clients about end-of-life symptoms and options to assist them in making informed decisions.
    • Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.

    Skills

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    Knowledge

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 61520/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 29.58/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 8,060
    • Yearly Projected Openings 700

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Social: People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Concern for Others
    • Integrity
    • Self Control
    • Dependability
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Adaptability/Flexibility

    Tools

    • Desktop computers
    • Notebook computers
    • Personal computers

    Technology

    • Calendar and scheduling software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Desktop publishing software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Internet browser software
    • Medical software
    • Mobile messaging service software
    • Office suite software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Web page creation and editing software
    • Word processing software

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