Palliative Care and Hospice Social Work
Hospice social workers help the patients' families get ways to pay medical bills, enabling access to supplemental support services, or helping terminally ill patients solve relationship issues or other end-of-life issues. If you want to be a hospice social worker, you will need a college degree, post-graduate degree, and internship experience as a social worker.
Some social workers are able to get jobs with four-year bachelor's degrees. But, most students decide to spend an additional 2 years in school to earn master's degrees. Once you have completed the M.S.W. degree and have passed the social work licensure exam, you are eligible to begin working as a social worker in hospice settings.
Those who would like to advance to key job positions in hospice or palliative care social work can seek certification on a national level. No doubt by obtaining certification as a palliative care or hospice social worker, individuals can enhance their job prospects. They can get closer towards achieving career goals in the field of social work.
A primary certifying body for hospice social workers is the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). This organization provides certification as a basic certified hospice and palliative social worker and an advanced certified hospice and palliative social worker.
NHPCO and NASW have the basic certification for social workers with a bachelor's degree and the advanced certification for those with a master's degree. Both sets of applicants must be members of both NAWS and the National Council of Hospice and Palliative Professionals (NCHPP).
Additional requirements for the basic certification:
1. Graduate of a bachelor's degree in social work;
2. At least 20 hours of continuing education credits related to hospice social work or palliative care (40 for non-licensed social workers);
3. Two years of full-time experience in a hospice or palliative-care setting (4 years for non-licensed social workers).
4. State license if your state licenses social workers with a bachelor's degree;
Those with the 20 hours of CE credits must earn them within 2 years of the application. Applicants with the 40-hour requirement must complete them within the previous 5 years. The work experience must be within the 5 years before the application.
Furthermore what is more, references will be necessary important. There are also some other details that you should must look at on the hospice social worker certification application.
Additional requirements for advanced hospice social work certification:
- Graduate of at least a master's degree in social work;
- At least two years of paid hospice social work or palliative social work (within the last five years);
- State license or certification as a social worker;
- At least 3000 hours of supervised social work experience in hospice or palliative care;
- At least 20 hours of continuing education directly related to hospice or palliative social work.
You should also keep in mind that you will need some references from supervisors as part of the application packet.
Some social workers are able to get jobs with four-year bachelor's degrees. But, most students decide to spend an additional 2 years in school to earn master's degrees. Once you have completed the M.S.W. degree and have passed the social work licensure exam, you are eligible to begin working as a social worker in hospice settings.
Those who would like to advance to key job positions in hospice or palliative care social work can seek certification on a national level. No doubt by obtaining certification as a palliative care or hospice social worker, individuals can enhance their job prospects. They can get closer towards achieving career goals in the field of social work.
A primary certifying body for hospice social workers is the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). This organization provides certification as a basic certified hospice and palliative social worker and an advanced certified hospice and palliative social worker.
NHPCO and NASW have the basic certification for social workers with a bachelor's degree and the advanced certification for those with a master's degree. Both sets of applicants must be members of both NAWS and the National Council of Hospice and Palliative Professionals (NCHPP).
Additional requirements for the basic certification:
1. Graduate of a bachelor's degree in social work;
2. At least 20 hours of continuing education credits related to hospice social work or palliative care (40 for non-licensed social workers);
3. Two years of full-time experience in a hospice or palliative-care setting (4 years for non-licensed social workers).
4. State license if your state licenses social workers with a bachelor's degree;
Those with the 20 hours of CE credits must earn them within 2 years of the application. Applicants with the 40-hour requirement must complete them within the previous 5 years. The work experience must be within the 5 years before the application.
Furthermore what is more, references will be necessary important. There are also some other details that you should must look at on the hospice social worker certification application.
Additional requirements for advanced hospice social work certification:
- Graduate of at least a master's degree in social work;
- At least two years of paid hospice social work or palliative social work (within the last five years);
- State license or certification as a social worker;
- At least 3000 hours of supervised social work experience in hospice or palliative care;
- At least 20 hours of continuing education directly related to hospice or palliative social work.
You should also keep in mind that you will need some references from supervisors as part of the application packet.
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