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This position has closed. Northwestern Medicine removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 5, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Social Worker - Primary Care At Home

Northwestern Medicine · Wheaton, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 17, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 5, 2026

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

What would you do

What is different about assessing someone in their own home?

What they are checking: The posting names working in private homes, group homes and assisted living facilities.

A patient is unsafe at home but refuses help. What do you do?

What they are checking: The hardest and most common problem in home-based social work.

How do you do this work by telehealth when you cannot be in the room?

What they are checking: The posting names delivering services via telehealth as well as in person.

How do you keep yourself safe visiting homes alone?

What they are checking: Home-based work happens alone in unpredictable places and nobody asks this enough.

How do you coordinate with a primary care team you rarely see in person?

What they are checking: The posting names maintaining effective communication and coordination with care teams.

How do you plan a day of visits with travel between them?

What they are checking: The posting names travelling to patient homes, and driving time is part of the caseload.

About the work

Tell me about social work with homebound older adults.

What they are checking: The posting is home-based services for adult and geriatric homebound patients.

How do you assess a home for safety and for what the patient actually needs?

What they are checking: The posting names adapting to a variety of environmental conditions.

How do you spot possible neglect or exploitation on a visit?

What they are checking: Home visits are where this is seen and the social worker is often the only one who sees it.

Where are you with your social work licensure?

What they are checking: The posting names a licensed social worker.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

The Licensed Social Worker- Home-Based Services will provide services to adult and geriatric homebound patients in their residences and via telehealth. This role requires travel to patient homes and the ability to work effectively in a home-based care setting. The Social Worker reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. Responsibilities: • Provide social work services to adult and geriatric patients in their residences and via telehealth. • Travel to patient homes to deliver services. • Work in patient residences, which may include private homes, group homes, or assisted living facilities, and adapt to a variety of environmental conditions commonly encountered in the home setting, including pets, pet dander, dust, smoke, noise, clutter, varying indoor temperatures, and weather conditions during travel. • Maintain effective communication and coordination with patients, families, and care teams. • Ensure services are provided in accordance with professional standards and organizational requirements. • Collaborates and participates in the coordination of screening, assessment, and discharge planning activities in high risk patients and their families with complex psychosocial and economic needs. • Utilizes expertise and problem solving skills to achieve optimal clinical outcomes within effective resources and timeframes. • Promotes a seamless and safe discharge throughout the continuum of care • Collaborates with the care team for discharge planning and community linkage for patients and families with complex social, economic, and emotional needs. • Participates in care conferences and unit rounds. Keeps all members of the care team apprised of the current state and plan of care. • Develops positive relationships with co-workers, members of the care team, and community resources. • Collaborates with care team members to identify at risk populations and opportunities to improve care delivery and on-going support, thus increasing efficiencies and effectiveness. • Makes timely and appropriate referrals to ancillary support staff in order to facilitate progress toward a safe discharge. • Partners with the post-acute care providers and shares appropriate and pertinent information in order to create a seamless and safe discharge plan. • Identifies, assesses and responds to patient and family needs, incorporating age specific developmental, psychological, cultural and spiritual needs. Emphasis is placed on addressing the social and emotional needs of the patient and family that may impact on the patient's response to medical treatment. These needs may include, but are not limited to, adjustment to illness, poor or limited coping abilities, functional impairment, mental illness, guardianship issues, compliance, need for additional resources due to limited funds available, substance abuse, cultural differences, death, dying, bereavement, and family welfare, including abuse, neglect, and domestic violence. Adoptions in the mother/ baby area. • Provides timely and effective interventions for patients and families in emergency and crisis, including referrals to appropriate support resources. • Educates team members regarding the socio-economic, emotional and cultural issues that impact care delivery, coping skills, and response to treatment. • Serves as an advocate for the patient and family. Serves as a lead resource and assists with referrals in coordinating charity and financial resources, guardianship issues, family problems or conflicts, and competency issues. • Assists with the maintenance of information and referral lists relative to post-acute care resources. • Administers and interprets tests and measures of psychosocial functioning for the purpose of diagnosing mental, emotional, behavioral, addictive, and development disorders and disabilities. • Develops and implements appropriate assessment- based treatment plan. Consults with team managers, statutory and voluntary agencies and patient’s relatives to ensure compliance with treatment plan. • Provides crisis oriented Psychotherapy and connects patient and family with the appropriate resources. • Supervises and trains lower level social workers, students or interns. • Applies specialized clinical Knowledge and advanced clinical skills in the areas of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, behavioral, addictions disorders or conditions and makes appropriate referrals or transfers to the correct level of care. Required : • One full year experience and/or internship in a medical social work role in and acute hospital setting or agency. • Experience with maternal/child populations • Licensed Social Worker (LSW) • Valid driver’s license and auto insurance with a good driving record Preferred: • Two years’ experience in an acute hospital setting • Master’s degree in social work • Minimum of 2 years of prior hospital or community-based social work experience • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) • ACSW (Academy of Certified Social Workers) Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. Background Check Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more. Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position): Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.