Hospice social worker vs social worker

The differences between hospice social workers and social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a hospice social worker and a social worker. Additionally, a hospice social worker has an average salary of $52,859, which is higher than the $50,102 average annual salary of a social worker.

The top three skills for a hospice social worker include social work, patients and home health. The most important skills for a social worker are social work, patients, and patient care.

Hospice social worker vs social worker overview

	Hospice Social Worker	Social Worker
Yearly salary	$52,859	$50,102
Hourly rate	$25.41	$24.09
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	110,787	77,340
Job satisfaction	-	4.5
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	2	2

What does a hospice social worker do?

A hospice social worker is primarily in charge of providing emotional support and guidance to terminally-ill patients and their families, aiming to give them comfort and assistance in various procedures. Their responsibilities include identifying the needs of patients and their families through visitations or appointments, coordinating with nurses and physicians, and serving as a patient advocate by providing them with spiritual and emotional comfort. Furthermore, as a hospice social worker, it is essential to assist families with the bereavement processes, referring them to other programs as necessary.

What does a social worker do?

Social workers help their clients get through problems that they may be facing. Social workers help identify individuals or groups of people, usually families, who may need assistance, generally through a set of pre-determined criteria. They then determine the best ways to help their clients by interviewing them, getting to know them, and understanding the context of their lives. They create plans that will help their clients become better, such as integrating into a new environment, assisting them in their needs, or even rescuing them from their current place. Social workers have good interpersonal skills and communication skills.

Hospice social worker vs social worker salary

Hospice social workers and social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hospice Social Worker	Social Worker
Average salary	$52,859	$50,102
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $67,000	Between $37,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	-	Portland, OR
Highest paying state	-	Oregon
Best paying company	-	Health Advocates
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between hospice social worker and social worker education

There are a few differences between a hospice social worker and a social worker in terms of educational background:

	Hospice Social Worker	Social Worker
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Social Work	Social Work
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Hospice social worker vs social worker demographics

Here are the differences between hospice social workers' and social workers' demographics:

	Hospice Social Worker	Social Worker
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 13.8% Female, 86.2%	Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	13%	13%

Differences between hospice social worker and social worker duties and responsibilities

Hospice social worker example responsibilities.

Collaborate with multidisciplinary team to provide necessary referrals and counseling to achieve establish patient goals.
Provide support, education and compassion to patients and family members.
Assist patients and families with obtaining necessary insurances such as Medicaid, etc.
Provide advocacy and support services to terminally ill patients, families and/or significant others to maximize benefits and limit out-of-pocket expenses.
Work as lead MSW on all pediatric hospice cases.
Work with other members of the IDT to track and document changes to the patient's status, coping, etc.

Show more

Social worker example responsibilities.

Assist clients in achieving treatment goals such as anger, ADHD, grief, social skills, and manners.
Lead and co-le CBT and DBT skills-base groups with participants, as well as relapse prevention, mindfulness and process groups.
Support patient questions and issues regarding Medicare ESRD entitlement and Medicaid and assist in the completion of the appropriate documentation.
Coordinate IPU discharge planning patients to SNF, ALF, PCH or in-home care with necessary support for care.
Facilitate relationships with AKF and other patient assistance programs, VA, Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance providers.
Complete Medicaid and Medicare applications as needed.

Show more

Hospice social worker vs social worker skills

Common hospice social worker skills

Social Work, 29%
Patients, 19%
Home Health, 11%
MSW, 5%
Patient Care, 4%
Crisis Intervention, 4%

Common social worker skills

Social Work, 30%
Patients, 15%
Patient Care, 5%
MSW, 4%
Discharge Planning, 4%
Home Health, 4%

Hospice Social Worker vs. similar jobs

Hospice Social Worker related careers

Hospice Social Worker related jobs

What similar roles do

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z