Social Worker - Acute Medicine/Surgery

Summary

The incumbent is a Clinical Social Worker assigned to Medicine/Surgery Units located at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center located in Gainesville - FL. The Clinical Social Worker's responsibilities include the assessment of heath - mental health and psychosocial problems - often at a time when the Veteran is experiencing crisis. Clinical Social Worker will review and coordinate all phases of continuing care for Veterans while they are inpatient as well as ensure follow up post discharge.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 07/20/2026

Basic Requirements:

• The basic requirements for employment as a VHA social worker are prescribed by statute in 38 U.S.C. § 7402(b)(9) - as amended by section 205 of Public Law 106-419 - enacted November 1 - 2000
• To qualify for appointment as a social worker in VHA - all applicants must meet the following: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Language Proficiency
• Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j - this part
• Education
• Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• Licensure
• Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level
• GS-9 Exception
• VHA may waive the licensure or certification requirement for persons who are otherwise qualified - pending completion of state prerequisites for licensure/certification examinations
• VHA social workers who are not licensed or certified at the time of appointment must become licensed or certified at the independent - master's level within three years of their appointment as a social worker
• This exception only applies at the GS-9 grade level
• For the GS-11 grade level and above - the candidate must be licensed or certified at the independent practice level
• Grandfathering Provision
• All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of the Social Worker Qualification Standard - GS-0185 - September 10 - 2019 are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• GRADE DETERMINATIONS
• In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• Social Worker - GS-09: Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate all of the following KSAs on their resume and in their experience
• Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training listed below
• otherwise - we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim
• If selected - you may be required to submit narrative responses then
• (a) Ability to utilize a Veteran centric approach when providing interventions and counseling for Veterans - their family members - caregivers - and survivors
• (b) Ability to assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of Veterans and their family members - and to formulate and implement a treatment plan - identifying the Veterans problems - strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and assistance needed
• (c) Ability to implement treatment modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups to achieve treatment goals
• This requires judgment and skill in utilizing supportive - problem solving - or crisis intervention techniques
• (d) Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate with clients - staff - and representatives of community agencies
• (e) Fundamental knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures
• This includes acute - chronic - and traumatic illnesses/injuries
• common medications and their effects/side effects
• and medical terminology
• Social Worker - GS-11: Experience
• Appointment to the GS-11 grade level requires completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings - (VA or nonVA experience)
• -OR- Education and Licensure
• In addition to meeting basic requirements - a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting
• You must attach additional transcripts to support this substitute
• Licensure or certification at the independent practice level is required at the GS-11 level
• -AND- Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate all of the following KSAs on their resume and in their experience
• Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training listed below
• otherwise - we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim
• If selected - you may be required to submit narrative responses then
• (a) Knowledge of community resources - how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services - and ability to coordinate services
• (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic - educational - and other backgrounds
• (c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e
• acute - chronic and traumatic illnesses/injuries - common medications and their effects/side effects - and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan
• (d) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals - families - and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric - medical - and social problems to achieve treatment goals
• (e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers - social work graduate students - and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment
• References: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit Social Worker Qualification Standard - GS-0185 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre-employment physical examination as required by VA Handbook 5019
• This examination is administered by VA Occupational Health
• This position requires moderate lifting up to 44 lbs. - carrying objects up to 15 lbs. - frequent reaching above shoulder - use of fingers - hands and legs - walking & standing up to 8 hours - bending and climbing and able to hear whisper
• Ability to work in a fast paced environment with a lot of sitting - standing and walking up to 5 miles per day on the job
• The incumbent must be physically - emotionally and mentally stable in order to efficiently perform the essential functions of this position without hazard to themselves or others.

Duties

• Clinical work of this position includes the provision of discharge planning - crisis intervention - short-term solution-focused or problem solving focused evidence based interventions with Veterans and/or their family members/significant others/caregivers on the acute care medicine - surgery - neurology and intensive care inpatient units
• Major duties include - but are not limited to: Conducts psychosocial assessments - establishes treatment and discharge plans - to include goals and executes treatment and discharge plans
• Evaluates outcomes of interventions
• Works with a wide variety of individuals from various socioeconomic - cultural - ethnic - educational - and other diversified backgrounds
• Will assess the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members to formulate and implement a treatment/discharge plan - identifying the patient's problems - strengths - weaknesses - coping skills - and assistance needed
• Knowledge of human development and behavior (physical and psychological) - and the differential influences of the environment - society - and culture
• Works with patients and families who are experiencing emotional - medical - and social problems utilizing individual - group - and family counseling skills
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with clients - staff - and representatives of local community agencies
• Collaborates with other service providers in assessing/reassessing the Veteran's needs during inpatient stay and makes appropriate warm hand off referral to the Veteran's assigned PACT - Specialty Clinic and/or other appropriate clinical social worker for follow up post discharge
• Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses - disabilities - and treatment procedures to include acute - chronic - and traumatic illnesses/injuries
• common medications and their effects/side effects
• and medical terminology for the purpose of ensuring a comprehensive assessment of biopsychosocial barriers to health and well-being
• Documents social work interventions and activities timely and as directed by standard operating procedures in the patient's electronic medical record and ensures appropriate warm hand off when transferring the patient's care to another service/clinical setting
• Working knowledge and skill in the use of word processing - data management - electronic health record - MS Office and other computer software
• Knowledge of veteran's benefits and services relating to special programs - service-connected compensation - non-service connected pension
• The social worker facilitates referrals based upon veteran's needs and eligibility
• The social worker may serve on committees - councils - workgroups - and/or task forces
• The social worker serves as liaison to community agencies and networks with agency representatives as related to assigned job duties for facilitating continued patient care in another setting
• Communicates effectively - both orally and in writing - with people from varied backgrounds
• Preferred experience: Knowledge of medical and mental diagnoses and terminology
• Experience in discharge planning and case management in an Acute care health and/or mental health setting
• Knowledge of community resources to support Veterans experiencing significant social determinants of health
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30AM to 4:00PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement: Social Worker - Acute Medicine/Surgery - FS #50010F (GS-11) and 50009 (GS-9)
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Not authorized Additional Benefits Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child.

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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