Lisa Buchal
Plymouth,MN
Summary
Background includes clinical social work experience in hospice, hospitals, schools and community mental health clinics. Skilled at thorough bio-psycho- social assessments, establishing trust and rapport with a wide variety of patient backgrounds, individual and group counseling and psychotherapy, treatment planning and working with multi-disciplinary teams.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Hospice Social Worker
Health Partners Hospice and Palliative Care
Bloomington, MN
07.2015 - Current
- Provided emotional and practical support to individuals facing terminal illness.
- Conducted assessments of patient needs, goals and preferences for end-of-life care.
- Facilitated group meetings with family members to discuss advance directives and grief counseling
- Provided clinical supervision to LGSW
- In house hospice liaison at Regions Hospital providing education, referral and discharge planning
- Developed individualized plans of care for patients in accordance with their wishes and the policies of the hospice organization.
- Assisted patients and their families in accessing community resources such as financial aid or bereavement services.
- Coordinated activities between medical staff, families, volunteers and other professionals involved in a patient's care plan.
- Advised caregivers on how to cope with the physical and emotional demands of caring for a terminally ill person.
- Facilitated communication between healthcare providers, family members, patients, physicians and other healthcare personnel to ensure continuity of care.
- Counseled patients and families on issues related to death and dying, including spiritual matters or legal and financial concerns.
- Collaborated with other disciplines within the hospice team such as nurses, home health aides, chaplains or bereavement counselors.
- Provided crisis intervention when needed during times of acute distress or change in condition due to illness progression.
- Educated families about available options regarding pain management strategies or advanced directives while respecting cultural diversity beliefs around death and dying.
- Maintained accurate records of client contacts according to agency protocols.
- Participated in interdisciplinary team meetings regarding patient care planning decisions.
- Attended continuing education seminars related to hospice social work practices.
- Developed relationships with local organizations that could provide additional support services for clients.
- Monitored patient progress over time through home visits or telephone calls.
- Managed caseloads effectively by prioritizing tasks based upon urgency level.
- Consulted with physicians regarding changes in a patient's condition or prognosis.
- Collaborated with other professionals to assess client needs.
- Educated clients on options to assist in making informed decisions.
- Guided clients in development of skills and strategies for dealing with individual problems.
- Referred client or family to appropriate community resources to obtain support for mental or physical illness.
- Provided information to access financial assistance, legal aid or housing.
- Identified environmental challenges to client progress through interviews with patient and caregivers.
Social Work Manager
Children’s Hospitals of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
03.2009 - 05.2015
- Provided clinical supervision and guidance to social workers in the team.
- Developed, implemented and evaluated programs to meet the needs of clients.
- Conducted assessments to identify individual client needs and develop plans for service provision.
- Organized resources within the team to ensure efficient delivery of services.
- Collaborated with other professionals such as doctors, nurses and psychologists to provide comprehensive care.
- Monitored adherence to professional standards of practice and ethical guidelines for social work staff members.
- Prepared reports for funding agencies regarding program outcomes and evaluation results.
- Attended meetings with external stakeholders including government representatives, funders, community organizations and advocacy groups.
- Reviewed policies and procedures related to social work management processes.
- Advised senior managers on strategies for improving service delivery models.
- Assisted with recruitment activities for new social work staff members.
- Evaluated performance levels of existing staff members using established criteria.
- Supported training initiatives aimed at developing skills among social workers.
- Provided direct service and support by handling referrals for advocacy issues or resolving complaints.
- Consulted with staff on resolution of complex service issues.
- Handled administrative procedures to meet objectives set by boards of directors or senior management.
- Evaluated work of staff to maintain quality and effectiveness of resources.
Medical Social Worker
Children’s Hospitals of Minnesota
Minneapolis
04.2000 - 03.2009
- Conducted comprehensive psychosocial assessments to identify patient needs and strengths.
- Facilitated referrals to community resources, such as housing or financial assistance programs.
- Conducted individual and family counseling sessions for clients with mental health issues.
- Assisted physicians in determining the best course of action for medically complex cases.
- Educated caregivers about the importance of providing emotional support to patients during illness or recovery periods.
- Maintained detailed records regarding patient progress, clinical interventions and case notes in accordance with HIPAA regulations.
- Provided crisis intervention services when needed, such as suicide prevention or substance abuse counseling.
- Participated in interdisciplinary team meetings to discuss patient needs and plan appropriate interventions.
- Acted as an advocate for vulnerable populations by connecting them with essential resources within the community.
- Initiated contact with local agencies and organizations to ensure access to quality healthcare services.
- Maintained confidential case documentation.
- Compiled socio-psychiatric case histories to facilitate accurate diagnoses.
- Provided crisis intervention and emotional support to patients and their families.
- Provided end-of-life counseling and support to patients and their families.
- Educated patients and families on coping strategies for dealing with illness and hospitalization.
- Liaised with community agencies to enhance service provision and referrals.
- Advocated for patient rights and services within the healthcare system
- Addressed barriers to care, including transportation, financial issues, and language barriers.
- Facilitated access to community resources and services for patients and families.
- Collaborated with other professionals to assess client needs.
- Referred client or family to appropriate community resources to obtain support for mental or physical illness.
- Assessed child abuse or neglect cases and exercised protective actions when necessary by referral to in-house child abuse team and county child protective services.
Education
Master of Social Work - Social Work
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN08-1990
Skills
- Care Planning
- Policy analysis
- Quality Improvement
- Substance Abuse Prevention
- Treatment Plan Modification
- Rehabilitation Planning
- Originality and Creativity
- Dependency Recovery
- Policy Advising
- Progress Monitoring
- Community Resource Referral
- Problem-Solving
- Crisis Resolution
- Community Health Services
- Social Research
- Abuse and Neglect
- Interpersonal Skills
- Patient Evaluation
- Conducting assessments
- Written Communication
- Paperwork Organization
- Family Counseling
- Gathering referrals
- Time management abilities
- Continuous Improvement
- Assessing needs
- Counseling
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI)
Timeline
Hospice Social Worker
Health Partners Hospice and Palliative Care
07.2015 - Current
Social Work Manager
Children’s Hospitals of Minnesota
03.2009 - 05.2015
Medical Social Worker
Children’s Hospitals of Minnesota
04.2000 - 03.2009
Master of Social Work - Social Work
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities