21-1022.00 · Learning planner
Healthcare Social Workers: a task-based learning plan
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.
Explore the complete task inventory first →
Understand the profile before choosing priorities
The table shows the ten highest importance ratings among 30 skills with usable ratings. Skills tied on importance can share a rank. Importance (1–5) and level (0–7) describe different dimensions. A level of 4 is not 4/7 of a course, and neither scale is your personal score. Source dates refer to the underlying rating, not the database release date.
| Skill | Importance / 5 | Level / 7 | Rating date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.25 | 5.12 | 08/2021 · Analyst |
| Service Orientation | 4.12 | 4.38 | 08/2021 · Analyst |
| Speaking | 4.12 | 4.25 | 08/2021 · Analyst |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.75 | 08/2021 · Analyst |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.25 | 08/2021 · Analyst |
| Critical Thinking | 4.00 | 4.00 | 08/2021 · Analyst |
| Coordination | 4.00 | 4.00 | 08/2021 · Analyst |
| Writing | 3.88 | 4.12 | 08/2021 · Analyst |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.88 | 3.88 | 08/2021 · Analyst |
| Active Learning | 3.75 | 4.00 | 08/2021 · Analyst |
Anchor the plan in an actual task
Choose one reported task you want to understand better. Then choose one to three skills and describe an appropriate learning activity, evidence you will review and a date. For practical work requiring authorization, choose relevant coursework, observation or supervised training.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for healthcare social workers.
Level 6: Counsel patients who are depressed during a crisis period
Level 4: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
What perspective or concern might another person bring to this task?
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for healthcare social workers.
Level 4: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site
Level 6: Direct relief agency operations in a disaster area
What does the person receiving the work need, and how would you confirm the need was met?
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for healthcare social workers.
Level 4: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
Level 6: Argue a legal case before the Supreme Court
How would you explain the task, audience needs and next step in a short conversation?
Active Listening
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.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for healthcare social workers.
Level 4: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
Level 6: Serve as a judge in a complex legal disagreement
What would you ask the other person to clarify, and how would you confirm you understood?
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for healthcare social workers.
Level 4: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
Level 6: Read a scientific journal article describing surgical procedures
Which instruction, constraint or exception in a document would you need to explain accurately?
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for healthcare social workers.
Level 4: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
Level 2: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
What assumption could change your conclusion, and what evidence would you check first?
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for healthcare social workers.
Level 4: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
Level 2: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
Who would need what information, and at which handoff would timing matter?
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for healthcare social workers.
Level 4: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
Level 6: Write a novel for publication
What document would another person need, and how would you check that they could act on it?
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for healthcare social workers.
Level 4: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques
Level 2: Lay out tools to complete a job
How would you separate the problem into parts and compare possible explanations?
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for healthcare social workers.
Level 4: Determine the impact of new menu changes on a restaurant's purchasing requirements
Level 2: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
What new information would change your approach, and how would you record the change?
Review the result
Your plan should explain why the selected skills matter for your chosen task, what you will do next and what evidence you will examine. Revisit the plan after that activity. Completing a worksheet or matching an occupation’s ratings does not establish professional competence.
Keep your worksheet
Download before leaving this page. Unsaved writing remains only in the page and is cleared on refresh. Notes and learning actions are not sent to a server. This guide describes an occupation and supports study planning; it does not provide clinical, legal or equipment-operating procedures.
Source and practice material
Occupational context uses the O*NET® 31.0 Database from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. View the occupation.
Skill Workbench selected and adapted the occupational information and added its own fictional cases, calculations, guidance and worksheets. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.