Clinical Social Worker

Exam

State exam

Education

Specific course

Experience

Affidavit or referral

Background check

Not reported

Social workers assist patients and their families with personal and environmental difficulties that predispose illness or interfere with obtaining maximum benefits from medical care. They work in close collaboration with physicians and other health care personnel in patient evaluation and treatment to further their understanding of significant social and emotional factors underlying patient's health problems. They help patient and family through individual or group conferences to understand, accept, and follow medical recommendations. They may also provide psychiatric social work assistance to mentally or emotionally disturbed patients of hospitals, clinics, and other medical centers, and their families collaborating with psychiatric and allied teams in diagnosis and treatment plans. They help patients to respond constructively to treatment and assist in adjustment leading to and following discharge.