End-of-life care is not something most of us want to think about too much, but it’s something we will all have to face ourselves, as well as on behalf of our loved ones. When entering hospice treatment, anyone would hope to have the easiest and most comfortable experience possible.
Hospice and palliative care social workers are the people who make positive end-of-life care treatment possible, devoting their careers to work that many would find too solemn to face.
For those who enter this branch of the social work profession, the effort to provide quality care – in particular to underserved populations – can be nothing short of a spiritual calling with uncommonly deep rewards.
So what does the day-to-day life of a hospice social worker look like, and how does one know if hospice and palliative care social work is the right career path for them? Read on to learn everything you need to know to determine if this path is the right one for you.
The Role of a Hospice Social Worker
Hospice care social workers provide logistical and emotional support for people nearing the end of their lives, whether due to old age or terminal illness. They frequently perform the work of resource coordination, sparing sick individuals and their families the stress and emotional burden of meeting their essential care needs so that they can focus on spending meaningful time together. Some hospice social workers are also licensed to provide emotional and psychological counseling to those entering palliative care, as well as to those closest to them.
Case Management, Resource Coordination, and Logistical Support
Anyone who has had a loved one in hospice knows how intense and taxing it can be to take care of the administrative nuts and bolts of care while also processing the deep emotions of losing someone you are close to. Hospice social workers step in to ease these responsibilities and ensure that the comfort and dignity of those at the end of their lives are accounted for. Indeed, many families express great gratitude to the hospice social workers who make things easier during the hardest of times.
The following list features many of the top responsibilities hospice social workers are likely to take on in their work.
- Assess incoming patients to determine their greatest needs and the appropriate care strategies to support them.
- Coordinate between resource providers to design and implement a comprehensive care plan. This can extend to those in at-home care settings.
- Educate patients and their families about treatment options, healthcare administration issues such as insurance, and more.
Emotional and Psychological Support
There are also some hospice and palliative care social workers who are authorized to provide counseling and therapy to those in hospice care. In order to do this, you must be credentialed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), which is the only license level among social workers that is authorized to perform therapeutic services. To learn more about social work license levels to determine which one is right for you, visit our guide here.
LCSW-certified hospice social workers can be a lifeline for those in hospice, helping them navigate the overwhelming burden of end-of-life care. This can provide tremendous relief during difficult times, especially because most people do not have a significant amount of experience with the hospice system until they enter it themselves.
By providing a compassionate ear as well as an informed perspective on palliative treatment, hospice care social workers are able to significantly lighten the weight of deeply challenging times.
Palliative care social workers can also provide emotional support to the families of those in hospice, who oftentimes shoulder the day-to-day responsibilities of caring for someone at the end of their life. They can also provide this counseling after a person in hospice care has passed away, offering bereavement support to those who need an immediate outlet for their grief, confusion, and sadness in the wake of a loss. This can be a tremendous source of strength and stability for those who aren’t sure how to move forward after losing a loved one.
Specialist Certification for Hospice Social Workers: The ACHP-SW License
For those who are 100% committed to pursuing social work in hospice and palliative care settings, there is a specific license that exists to assert your exceptional specialization in the field. This is known as the Advanced Certified Hospice & Palliative Social Worker License (ACHP-SW). This certification demonstrates a social worker’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life for patients and their families during this critical phase, focusing on both emotional and practical aspects of support.
In comparison to the Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) certifications, the AHCP-SW certification is highly specialized and tailored specifically to the needs of hospice and palliative care. While LMSW and LCSW certifications provide a broader foundation in social work, AHCP-SW goes beyond by honing in on the specific knowledge and skills required in end-of-life care settings. AHCP-SW certified social workers are well-versed in bereavement support, ethical considerations in palliative care, and interdisciplinary collaboration within healthcare teams.
Obtaining an AHCP-SW license requires many of the steps needed to obtain other types of social work degree in Texas. This includes the following:
- Receiving an MSW from an accredited university.
- Completing 3,000 hours (approximately two years) of supervised field work in a hospice or palliative care setting.
- Twenty or more continuing education courses (CEUs) related to hospice or palliative care social work.
- An existing social work license.
The certification process ensures that social workers seeking AHCP-SW certification have the necessary knowledge and experience to provide exemplary care to individuals and families facing life-limiting illnesses.
The greatest advantage of obtaining AHCP-SW licensing is that it asserts to prospective employers that you are dedicated to your area of specialty and have equipped yourself with significant expertise in the field. For those looking for long-lasting, high-ranking careers in hospice and palliative care social work, this is an excellent investment that will reward you in your professional trajectory to come.
Hospice Social Work Jobs
Hospice and palliative care social workers can provide their services in a variety of settings. These include:
- Hospice and palliative care clinics
- Nursing homes
- Inpatient treatment centers
- In-home care settings
Where you are employed as a hospice social worker may determine the types of patients that you work with.
There are hospice social work roles to account for the wide range of needs hospice patients have as well as the diverse patients who are in need of care.
While you may not have total control over where you are employed at the outset of your social work career, it can be helpful to know the variety of job titles for hospice social workers so that you can find the one that best matches your goals and skills.
Some of the top hospice social work jobs include the following:
- Hospice social worker
- Palliative care social worker
- Pediatric hospice social worker
- Community outreach and education coordinator
- Hospice case manager
- Hospice program manager / director
- Crisis intervention social worker
- Bereavement coordinator
- Hospice volunteer coordinator
- Psychosocial coordinator
- Spiritual care counselor
Some of these roles – in particular those related to program management – tend to require a certain amount of professional experience in order to qualify. This means that incoming hospice social workers have incentive to work hard and learn the advanced skills expected to take on a leadership role within a hospice or palliative care treatment organization.
Hospice Social Worker Salary
It can be difficult to determine the exact salaries of hospice and palliative care social workers, as there is no established data that specifically isolates this information. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ findings for Texas-based healthcare social workers can provide an approximate guideline for those looking to perform hospice social work in the state.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that healthcare social workers in the state of Texas earn a mean annual salary of $62,500 per year, breaking down to $32.93 hourly. This is nearly identical to the national average for healthcare social workers, which the BLS reports to be $62,750 per year.
For those hoping to earn higher salaries as hospice social workers, it’s important to remember that advanced work experience and certification can go far in earning you a high-ranking position with a salary to match. This is why many hospice social workers pursue their AHCP-SW credential, as it automatically demonstrates to employers that you have the experience and insight needed to take on leadership roles within their organizations. Indeed, the BLS reports that healthcare social workers in the 90th percentile of earners nationally take home a mean annual salary of $87,830. This can become an aspiration you can work toward over the course of your social work career.
All data taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2022 report, accessed March 2024.
Are you ready to become a hospice and palliative care social worker?
If you don’t already hold an MSW, this will be the first step you must take to make your career goals possible. There are many excellent programs in Texas, some of which offer focused course offerings in hospice and palliative care social work to begin your specialized education as quickly as possible.
FAQs
What does a hospice social worker do?
Hospice and palliative care social workers provide for the emotional and logistical needs of those who have entered end-of-life care, as well as their families. This allows those in hospice and their loved ones to focus on their emotional needs, minimizing the administrative burden of palliative care treatment.
Where do hospice and palliative care social workers work?
Hospice and palliative care social workers can be employed in clinics, nursing homes, and inpatient care centers, as well as in at-home care contexts for those who are unable to leave the house.
What is an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Social Worker, and how do I become one?
Because the responsibilities of a hospice and palliative care social worker are so specialized, there is a specific credential such social workers can receive to confirm their expertise. This is called the Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Social Worker credential (ACHP-SW), and its requirements are similar to an LCSW: an MSW from an accredited institution and two years of supervised work experience in a hospice or palliative care setting.
Can all hospice and palliative care social workers provide counseling and therapy?
No. In order to provide direct counseling to patients and their families, social workers must hold a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential, in keeping with Texas state requirements for social workers in any field. One can perform any other role of a hospice social worker with a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) credential.