LAFAYETTE, La. - Jessica Wiley, a social worker at the Hospice Compassus program serving Lafayette and surrounding areas received high honors from the National Association of Social Workers last month. Wiley is now an advanced certified hospice and palliative care social worker, allowing her to better provide a continuum of services that address the psychosocial needs of patients and families affected by serious and life limiting illness in order to maintain, or improve, their optimal quality of life.
"Working with hospice patients has always been a calling that's close to my heart, and now with the specialized training I've received, I feel better able to provide the unique care that hospice patients and their families require as they face difficult decisions about end of life care," said Wiley.
The ACHP-SW certification was added in 2009 to the list of NASW specialty certifications with the support and partnership of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). Tailored to capture the specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities of professional social workers in hospice and palliative care settings, the ACHP-SW is the premier credential for social workers in end-of-life care and those who practice social work in pain and symptom management.
Wiley has more than six years of social work experience, including the last year and half she's spent serving patients and families at Hospice Compassus.
"Jessica shares the Hospice Compassus passion for creating a better end of life experience for patients and their families," said Dina Bacon, Executive Director. "She is one of only a few social workers in our area with this advanced certification, and our staff and patients are extremely fortunate to be able to benefit from her in-depth knowledge in palliative and hospice care."
For more information about Hospice Compassus or its services, visit www.hospicecompassus.com or call 337-235-8690.