Healthcare Social Workers
Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family caregivers. Provide patients with information and counseling, and make referrals for other services. May also provide case and care management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.
At a Glance
Healthcare Social Workers earns a median of $68,090/yr with +7.7% projected growth. Typical entry: Master's degree. Top skills: Cooperation, Attention to Detail, Integrity.
$68,090/yr
+7.7%
18
Master's degree
Skills & Requirements
Skills (13)
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Knowledge (6)
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Abilities (11)
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Technology (8)
Work Activities (23)
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Work Styles (6)
A tendency to remain calm and composed and to manage emotions effectively in response to criticism or difficult situations at work.
Careers with Overlapping Skills
These occupations share the most skills. A career transition between them means many of your skills transfer directly.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Community and Social Service · 200 shared skills
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Office and Administrative Support · 196 shared skills
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
Community and Social Service · 196 shared skills
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Office and Administrative Support · 195 shared skills
Medical and Health Services Managers
Management · 194 shared skills
Patient Representatives
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical · 194 shared skills
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Legal · 194 shared skills
Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
Office and Administrative Support · 194 shared skills
Explore Key Skills
Frequently Asked Questions
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