Job description template

Healthcare Social Worker Job Description Template

A copy-ready healthcare social worker job description with responsibilities, qualifications, skills and pay guidance: customize it for your company in minutes.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
How to use this template

Copy the template below, replace the bracketed fields and tailor duties to your workplace. For pay, national BLS data shows healthcare social workers earn a median of $67,880 ($32.63/hour); the middle 50% earn $56,710–$82,240.

Job title

Healthcare Social Worker

Job summary

[Company name] is seeking a dependable healthcare social worker to join our team in [city, state]. In this role, you will assess patient and family needs, plan hospital discharges and support our team’s commitment to safety, quality and service.

Responsibilities

  • Assess patient and family needs
  • Plan hospital discharges
  • Arrange home care and placements
  • Counsel patients and families
  • Help with advance directives
  • Connect patients to financial resources
  • Coordinate with medical teams
  • Follow company policies, safety procedures and applicable regulations

Required qualifications

  • Master's degree
  • Current license or certification as required by [state]
  • Working knowledge of psychosocial assessment and discharge planning
  • Empathy and communication
  • [Add role-specific requirements, such as driver’s license or ability to pass a background check, if job-related]

Preferred qualifications

  • Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
  • Certified Social Work Case Manager (C-SWCM)
  • Experience with electronic health records

Skills

  • Crisis counseling
  • Insurance and benefits
  • Advance care planning
  • Documentation
  • Advocacy
  • Calmness

Work environment and schedule

Healthcare social workers work in hospitals, hospices, clinics and patients’ homes. Most work full-time; hospital roles may include weekends and evenings.

Pay and benefits

$[min]–$[max] per [hour/year], depending on experience. [List benefits: health insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, training and certification support.]

Equal opportunity

[Company name] is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law, and we provide reasonable accommodations upon request.

Tips for a healthcare social worker job posting that attracts applicants

  • Use the title candidates search for. “Healthcare Social Worker” is the clearest; alternates include Medical Social Worker, Hospital Social Worker, Hospice Social Worker.
  • Show the pay range. Postings with pay get more qualified applicants, and a growing number of states and cities require pay ranges in job postings.
  • Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves. Long requirement lists discourage qualified candidates, especially career changers.
  • Describe a real day. Borrow from our day in the life of a healthcare social worker so applicants self-select accurately.
  • Mention training. Highlighting structured onboarding: such as Healthcare Social Worker training: widens your applicant pool.

Next steps

Screen and interview with our Healthcare Social Worker hiring guide, then onboard with the 30-60-90 day plan.

Team pricing