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BMT Clinical Social Worker Role Description

Introduction: BMT clinical social work interventions


The purpose of this document is to educate aim to:
health care professionals, blood and marrow  Maximize patient and caregiver
transplant (BMT) program staff, and social work psychosocial functioning
department leaders about the specialty role of
 Foster patient and family (siblings and
BMT clinical social workers.
children) adaptation to health crisis
BMT is a highly complex and resource intensive  Promote healthy coping
treatment requiring a specialized multi-  Enhance quality of life throughout the
disciplinary team. Clinical social workers are transplant treatment trajectory
core members of the BMT team, providing  Optimize patient outcomes
expertise in psychosocial care for patients,
caregivers and families throughout the  Inform patient care strategies for the
transplant and recovery process, fostering health care team
adaptation and healthy coping, including
advanced care planning and end of life BMT patients have unique needs that
decision making. require clinical social work intervention:
 Identify a 24/7 caregiver plan
Educational background:  Complex psychosocial issues involving
Social workers working in BMT have a Master’s multiple family members
degree in social work from an accredited
program. They are licensed by their state’s  Mobilize a support system for an
governing board and in order to remain licensed extended period of time
are required to complete continuing education,  Relocate and establish temporary
and adhere to the National Association of housing near the transplant center
Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics.1 They are  Navigate emotional and practical needs
guided by the standards of practice under the related to complications that can be life-
Association of Oncology Social Workers threatening and require lengthy follow-
(AOSW), the Association of Pediatric Oncology up care i.e. graft-versus-host disease
Social Workers (APOSW) and NASW.2,3

Key points
Core competencies:
 Psychosocial assessment for BMT, high BMT clinical social workers:
risk screening and ongoing evaluation  Are core members of the BMT team
 Continuous screening for adjustment to  Implement standards of practice in the
impact of treatment provision of psychosocial services for
 Counseling for adjustment to illness, people with malignant and non-malignant
depression, anxiety, survivorship, grief and life threatening diseases
loss, advanced care planning and end of  Complete pre-transplant psychosocial
life decision making evaluation, high risk screening for
 Pain and symptom management i.e.: psychosocial factors that may negatively
guided imagery and relaxation techniques impact transplant outcomes
 Discharge and transitional care planning  Establish a therapeutic relationship and
engage in problem solving and planning to
 Psychoeducation and linkage with develop caregiver and relocation plans.
resources i.e. support groups and
financial assistance  Are experts in providing psychosocial care
 Advocacy and system navigation  Facilitate family meetings and bridge
communication with the care team
 Evidence-based program development
and evaluation  Contribute to optimizing patient outcomes
and quality of life
BMT clinical social workers: Recommendations:
 Conduct psychosocial assessment during  Mentor new staff and provide field
the pre-transplant work-up phase as supervision to social work students
required for BMT candidacy and
 Ensure comprehensive psychosocial care
insurance authorization
interventions occur at key time points (i.e.
 Provide psychosocial services that are transplant consultation, work-up
essential to improving patient outcomes4 evaluation, inpatient phase, outpatient /
 Provide emotional support and counseling survivorship follow-up, and end-of-life
with pediatric and adult patients and their care) throughout the transplant trajectory
families to optimize patient outcomes
 Serve as a resource for the health care  Consistently and actively involve BMT
team i.e. health education; facilitate team clinical social workers in treatment-
communication; debriefings planning and decision-making
 Are leaders and members of professional  Implement care models that enable BMT
associations specializing in oncology care social workers to practice at the top of
such as the Association of Oncology their licensure (note core competencies
Social Workers (aosw.org), Association of above)
Pediatric Oncology Social Workers
(aposw.org) and NASW (nasw.org)
 Conduct psychosocial research, program
development and evaluation

The following organizations have endorsed the BMT Clinical Social Worker Role Description:

References:
1National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Retrieved from

http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp?print=1&
2Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers (2009). Standards of Practice. Retrieved from
http://www.aposw.org/html/standards.php
3Association of Oncology Social Workers (2012). Standards of Practice in Oncology Social Work. Retrieved from
http://www.aosw.org/iMIS201/AOSWMain/professionals/standards-of-practice/AOSWMain/Professional-
Development/standards-of-practice.aspx?hkey=51fda308-28bd-48b0-8a75-a17d01251b5e
4Institute of Medicine. (2008). Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs. Retrieved from
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2007/Cancer-Care-for-the-Whole-Patient-Meeting-Psychosocial-Health-Needs.aspx

This BMT Clinical Social Worker Role Description was developed by the National Marrow Donor Program® /Be The Match®
Social Work Workforce Group. Updated June 2017.

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