Power

As a hospice social worker, you've got the only kind of power that really matters here. You can provide end-of-life comfort to the patient, and assure him or her that you're there to support them. The patient's family also looks to you for emotional support, to help them cope with a difficult situation that can change every day.

You can handle simple logistics tasks, such as coordinating care or financial resources that the family finds too difficult to deal with at present. Finally, you have the power to call in other professionals, other members of the hospice care team, who can provide expertise to address specific challenges.