Interdisciplinary Healthcare Internship

About Us:

We are a hospice agency based in the Northern Suburbs of Chicago that is “big enough to do it all and small enough to care”. Our tight-knit interdisciplinary team consists of nurses, doctors, social workers, and office personnel. We provide the highest level of genuine compassion and care to each patient and their family. We believe it is this extra level of dedication that makes Accord Hospice so special.

About you:

You operate with the core values of compassion, dedication, and dignity, just like us. You are interested in social work or the medical field because you are interested in helping people. You are a self-starter and interested in actively learning about end-of-life healthcare and palliative care. 

About the role:

The largest aspect of this role is working directly with patients to provide companionship. In addition to spending unstructured time with patients, you will be able to shadow a nurse and a social worker in your time here to learn about their roles. Additionally, you will learn about the administrative runnings of healthcare and how to use the medical software that our team uses to track patient health. 

At the end of the internship you will have observed care in private homes, private facilities, and Medicare-funded facilities. You also will have gained hands-on experience with patients and an in-depth understanding in how end-of-life healthcare policy directly translates to the field. Finally, you will have a deep knowledge of the different roles involved in each aspect of hospice care.

Optional healthcare administration and public health emphasis available for interested applicants. 

Responsibilities:

• Visit up to three patients regularly for a companionship visit.
  • Plan an activity for each visit. Planned activities can include brainstorming conversation topics, printing coloring book pages, playing games like Scrabble or cards, finding books to read, or more.
  • Communicate with facilities, families, caregivers, and patients in a professional manner
• Represent Accord Hospice positively and reflect our core values at all times.
• Observe and take notes during Interdisciplinary Team Meetings
  • Twice a month, our interdisciplinary teams meet to discuss plans of care and their effectiveness. This includes social workers, nurses, and doctors. Take notes during four meetings throughout the internship.
• Assist with the remote patient care aspects of hospice
  • Assemble admission packets with information about hospice care, paperwork for the patients to sign, and other important information.
  • Help with making bereavement cards for families and birthday cards for patients.
• Learn how to write an aid care visit note and volunteer visit note. Proofread certified nursing assistant notes at the end of each month.
• Report and enter patient care information into WellSky and Kinser, the medical software our team uses to track patient care.
  • Including admissions and recertifications.
• Shadow a nurse and a social worker during their routine visits.
  • Professionally represent Accord Hospice and provide the utmost compassion.
  • Write visit notes with the medical professionals. Learn how to appropriately log hospice care and hours.

Training/Onboarding

Selected applicants will need to complete 6 hours of remote training. Additionally, selected applicants will be required to take a free-of-charge Tuberculosis test and undergo a background check.

Internships are approximately 28 hours per month or 6.5 hours per week.

Because of Medicare guidelines, we are unable to offer payment. Instead, we can provide all documentation needed for university credit and a strong letter of recommendation for all who successfully complete the internship. 

*Please note: Interns will never be completely alone with patients. Caregivers, facility staff, family members, and other personnel will always be nearby.*

Must have access to transportation.

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TO APPLY

Please email your resume and a cover letter to skaplan@accordhospice.com. 

Applications are rolling with a hard deadline of Wednesday, May 1. Strong preference is given to earlier applicants. Start dates vary based on academic calendars.