The area of interest is geriatric social work, a branch of social work specialized in working with older populations. The specialty is lucrative because opportunities in the field are growing exponentially as every country in the world experiences an increase in the number of the aged. By 2030, one in every six people worldwide will be aged sixty years and above (Pandya, 2021). As the world changes lifestyles where nuclear families are given top priority, most of the elderly population are left alone and often feel lonely. Other than the opportunities available for those who pursue the career, it is also attractive as it offers more significant insights into the aging process and prepares a person to focus on what matters most in life (Ball, 2018). The elderly have a broad spectrum of experience to share, and working with them offers a unique opportunity to learn from them.
The aging population has a broad spectrum of challenges in dealing with daily life issues and requires unique traits and skills to deal with them. Empathy is a person’s ability to understand another person’s feelings and act accordingly to make others feel better (Pandya, 2021). Perceiving another person’s pains is the prerequisite to solving them and making their life comfortable. Active listening and communication skills are traits that are key to serving as a geriatric social worker. Most of the elderly population find solace in talking to a person as a person working with the old; effective communication and listening skills are essential for success in the career. Patience is a character trait that is needed when working with the aged because most of them are slow and need to be given more time to achieve any task.
The critical area of knowledge paramount to a person dealing with the elderly population is the aging process, the health issues related to aging, advocacy, and elder abuse. Understanding the aging process helps the worker categorize people according to their aging level and offer services relative to their age. Knowledge of advocacy and elder abuse helps identify cases of elder abuse and helps report the abuse to the proper authority for action (Ball, 2018). Knowledge of health issues related to the elderly population is key to maintaining their health through observation and administering the proper medication.
Character Traits
Empathy and patience are the two most pertinent character traits that make me ideal for the position. I have worked as a childcare worker, dealing with children of different ages and mental abilities. Patience is critical when dealing with children because one needs to repeat instructions more than once for the children to conceptualize the instructions and work on them. I have also worked at the end of life care, where patients had lost hope and needed a person with empathy to feel their pain and share their sorrows. The two experiences made me develop patience and empathy traits, respectively.
Skills
The primary skills that make me an ideal candidate for the position are communication skills and active listening. Working with children made me develop the skill of active listening as I had to listen keenly to what the children had to say and ask clarification questions whenever needed. Asking for clarification and paying attention without interrupting makes me an active listener. When communicating, I use facial expressions, maintain eye contact, and use the correct tone to enhance communication. The two skills are paramount when dealing with the elderly.
Areas of Knowledge
My key areas of knowledge are advocacy and health issues among the elderly. Besides my passion and constant research in the field of elderly care, I have also taken a short course on Gerontology to learn about the challenges facing the elderly and how to deal with different challenges. I am qualified to serve as a geriatric social worker because I am not only passionate about it but also possess the knowledge, skills, and character traits that are necessary to excel in the field.
References
Ball, E. (2018). Ageism in social work education: A factor in the shortage of geriatric social workers. California State University, Long Beach.
Pandya, S. P. (2021). Geriatric Social Workers in Adult Day Care Facilities: Meditation, Worker Resilience, and Job Satisfaction. Health & Social Work, 45(4), 259-267. Web.
Resilient nurses and social workers have high emotional intelligence, which helps them better understand the moods of patients and their families. It is easier for such workers to provide psychological support to patients, and they do it at a much better level than others (Park et al., 2020).
Surveys are the best way to monitor burnout among nurses and social workers. At the same time, it is essential to ensure that the surveys are not conducted in the hospital but that the researchers can give them in electronic or paper form at home. At home, employees will be able to relax and weigh their feelings in a comfortable environment.
Despite the successful conceptualization of nurse resilience, psychologists and other researchers should always be flexible in their definitions (Cooper et al., 2020). Psychological aspects of resilience and its loss can vary from person to person and can be combined with other problems not directly related to work: depression, schizotypy, insomnia (Park & Ko, 2021).
The role of managers in nursing burnout cannot be underestimated, as they are the ones who can manage the workload. Vertical communication in the hospital should be trustworthy so that nurses can freely express their suggestions.
COVID-19 has made the job of nurses and social workers more difficult. Many of them hear a lot of accusations against them and often feel guilty about other people’s problems.
The most important aspect is the issue of stigma, and this is not about nurse-patient stigma. The medical community inside is also full of stigmatizing situations, and because of this, nurses and social workers are forced to keep their fears and concerns to themselves. However, Rose & Palattiyil (2018) postulate: “A culture should be nurtured in which acknowledging limitations and asking for support is regarded as professionalism” (p. 17) Usually, this topic is not discussed, concentrating on social stigma or other forms.
Psychological aid rooms are solid support for nurses and social workers. Brennan (2017) states: “Alternative practices such as mindfulness and meditation programs have also been associated with reduced levels of stress” (p. 46). However, alternative practices are not a trusted way to improve health and psyche for many people, especially for the older generation. In this regard, it is inadequate to recommend them as a universal method; replacement options needed.
References
Brennan E. J. (2017). Towards resilience and wellbeing in nurses. British Journal of Nursing (Mark Allen Publishing), 26(1), 43–47.
Cooper, A. L., Brown, J. A., Rees, C. S., & Leslie, G. D. (2020). Nurse resilience: A concept analysis. International journal of mental health nursing, 29(4), 553–575.
Park, S., & Ko, H. (2021). The mediated effect of ego resilience and social support on relations between vocational identity and organizational commitment of social workers. The Journal of Humanities and Social sciences, 21(12) 29-44.
Park, Y., Crath, R., & Jeffery, D. (2020). Disciplining the risky subject: a discourse analysis of the concept of resilience in social work literature. Journal of Social Work, 20(2), 152–172.
Rose S., & Palattiyil G. (2020). Surviving or thriving? Enhancing the emotional resilience of social workers in their organisational settings. Journal of Social Work, 20(1), 23–42.
Different departments in a healthcare institution play dynamic roles to ensure competent and standardized operative outline. In this case, one of the primary objectives enshrines advancing the quality of service delivered within the financial budget. Despite the structural functionalism aspect in the hospital, nursing leadership is an essential factor attributing to optimal staffs’ performance and medical care among patients. Primarily, captaincy in the healthcare profoundly regards effective communication, organization, and critical thinking. Merging departments in a healthcare facility proficiently contribute to improved system efficacy on account of defined duties and responsibilities.
Respective Departmental Duties and Responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities of Social Work Department
The social work department significantly contributes towards the efficiency scale of a hospital based on the dynamic attributes. One of the vital duties includes derivation of critical psychosocial information about a patient (Quek et al., 2021). In this case, the staff utilize distinctive initiatives to gather crucial patient details concerning the mental and psychological well-being. The workers use the insights to justify the individual’s fitness to resume the social roles as a community member. However, mental and psychological discrepancies render the practitioners recommending observation by the caregivers. The social work department is an essential entity in a medical care facility due to the apt consideration of the clients’ cognitive behavioral capacity while developing an effective follow-up plan after discharge.
Duties and Responsibilities of Discharge Planning Department
The discharge planning department plays the profound role in determining the essential support services necessary for a patient leaving the hospital. Medical after care mainly involving extended services and follow-up ensure a significant recovery among the clients (McKenna & Jeske, 2021). Therefore, the sector is an essential entity on account of its prognosis of a patient’s treatment and recovery outline. An excellent example is the emphasis on community support framework to enhance an individual’s quality of living in addition to such measures as cleaning, dieting, wound dressing, and medications. Merging the unit with social work section adeptly enhance higher performance in the service delivery system and structure based on consumer-oriented essence.
Duties and Responsibilities of Utilization Review Department
The utilization review is a vital subdivision in any healthcare institution on account of its commitment to ensure competent quality assurance. Studies indicate that the practitioners identify the patients’ needs during recovery while indicating approaches elevating customer satisfaction (McKenna & Jeske, 2021). In this case, the department affirms a client’s ability to access the best medical care during and after hospital admission and discharges. Therefore, the employees assess and determine the appropriate healthcare provider and the best treatment strategies. Merging the sector with social and discharge planning proficiently contributes towards an advancement in service delivery system on account of monitored quality quotient and customer satisfaction.
Strategic Management
Human Needs of Staff Members
Staff performance aptly depends on the working conditions hence the prominence to incorporate measures enhancing human needs satisfaction. One of strategies to improve employees’ satisfaction regards the development of a reasonable duty schedule (McKenna & Jeske, 2021). The balance between private and work life profoundly attribute to higher healthy living. In this case, the manager plans a schedule for the departmental merger while observing vital parameters on job performance and service delivery system. A different strategy ensuring human needs satisfaction among the employees include steering the development of a comfortable working condition. The suitability of the organizational environment involves the incorporation of teamwork and initiatives attributing to practitioners’ welfare. The strategy optimally influences the quality of care offered and experienced among patients. Therefore, fulfilling the human needs is a necessity mainly justifying the significance of coordination among personnel.
Staff Members’ Engagement
Staff member’ engagement is an essential factor in medical care facility due to the dynamic trickle-down effects, such as effective communication and developing value-based network. According to research, the primary goal entails intensifying interactions with the counterparts, rendering career growth opportunities, providing success tools, and enhancing a functional and competent support structure (Quek et al., 2021). The amplification of workers’ involvement reflects optimal outlier on sustainability within an organization on account of distinctive pool of resources. In a different aspect, it is crucial that the manager incorporates key teambuilding practices elevating the bond and level of engagement among the workers. The foundational domain steering the quality of interactions and participatory index among the practitioners encompasses defining the components of the developing organizational culture.
Staff Members’ Motivational Outlier
Different strategies influence the positive appeal among workers in the hospital mainly affected by the departmental merger. According to research, it is the critical responsibility of a manager to determine the vital components of a competent work environment (van de Riet et al., 2019). One of the aspects motivating the employees enshrines the introduction of performance appraisals. In this case, the practitioners align their commitments along the margin of attaining rewards for efficient professional conduct. Additionally, it is critical indicating the dynamic constructs on transparency, benefits, and work-life balance. Ideally, the crucial variance underpins the sustainable outlook on efficiency and personal growth and development. Individualism is an essential constituent of teamwork. As a result, the manager’s key role involves the articulation of values influencing interdependence among the employees in the medical care facility.
Sustainable Fiscal Focus
Different institutions uphold distinctive fiscal policies steering the profit-making margin outline. Ideally, in a departmental merger, there is optimal risk in discordance and overwhelming tasks among workers. An excellent example is the overdependence of the utilization-based employees on social work entities to complete assigned responsibilities. In this case, it is paramount that the staff from the divergent sectors develop a teambuilding initiative involving the articulation of crucial virtues for strategic management (van de Riet et al., 2019). The main aim of the departmental merger entailed enhancing coordination and interdependence towards elevating customer satisfaction and practitioners’ value exchange. Achieving the established objective regards an adept mainframe on performance and relationship-building among counterparts thus reducing the costs utilized during the service delivery system based on effective communication and engagement.
Conclusion
Strategic management in a hospital is an essential factor steering the core efficiency of departmental mergers. While the social work sector focuses on identifying the patients’ psychosocial needs, the discharge planning subdivision commits in establishing key variants on enhancing patient recovery after leaving the medical care facility. Ideally, the utilization-based sector involves the quality assurance accountability towards justifying the efficiency-oriented outline on performance and quality of care. In this case, as a manager, it is paramount to implement vital frameworks featuring structural functionalism for the merger. The integration of the dynamic departments attributes to a divergent opportunity and risk for the organization due to the necessity to restructure the cultural practice. The initiative renders critical outlook on the significance of individualism and teamwork. As a result, the merger is foundational strategy enhancing key competence in the hospital and improving customer-oriented satisfactory quotient.
Internships equip learners with adequate concepts to support their career objectives. I started my internship on January 10, 2018 at First Home Care. The facility is found in Portsmouth, Virginia. This journal gives a detailed reflection of my achievements and development of social work values.
Personal Reflection
My internship at First Home Care has widened my skills and knowledge in service delivery. The first training program after starting my placement focused on CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention. This program equipped me with satisfactory competencies for managing assaultive and disruptive behaviors. I understood how to improve the level of relationship between practitioners and their clients. Additionally, the training process focused on the CPI Crisis Development Model. The tool guides practitioners to implement desirable approaches for dealing with crises.
From 15th January, the team received CPR and First Aid training. Personally, I learned how to help individuals with stings, strains, cuts, burns, splinters, and abrasions. My team also learned how to give CPR on children, adults, and infants. On 19th January, I started my training in a program known as Day Support Program for Autism. It mainly focused on autism in adults. I understood how to empower, teach, and guide adults with the condition to engage in various activities or aspects in their communities. I collaborated with a counselor who was in charge of three adults with autism. My experience with these three patients made it easier for me to understand the issues associated with autism. I am also expecting to acquire and use numerous theoretical models to support the needs of patients with diverse health and psychological needs.
These tools and programs resonate with most of the values and concepts gained in class. For instance, the above ideas have empowered me to meet the changing needs of different patients, support their developmental goals, and offer exemplary services. Since patients usually require personalized services, I have understood how to offer the best support to them. Individuals in need of exemplary services should be empowered using the right techniques. This analysis indicates that my internship will eventually support my future clinical goals.
I am yet to learn new techniques that can be embraced to support persons experiencing different challenges in life. This gap explains why the remaining days will be taken seriously in order to acquire adequate skills for empowering more people in need of exemplary social or health services. I will also engage in lifelong learning. This practice will equip me with new insights for efficient social and clinical care delivery.
Saint Leo’s Core Value
My internship experience has guided me to develop and apply each of Saint Leo’s core values. The value that has supported me throughout the internship experience is that of community. I have been able to interact with many people such as patients, instructors, and community members. Consequently, I have acquired powerful attributes such as a sense of belonging, interdependence, and unity. I have also understood the importance of respecting and trusting others. The value of community has guided me to listen, serve, and meet the needs of more people.
Conclusion
This reflection shows clearly that my internship is already a success. I have gained new competencies, skills, and ideas that echo most of the concepts studied in class. The value of community will make me successful in my clinical practice. I will also be in a position to address my clients’ social needs. The acquired attributes will empower me to transform the experiences of many people.
During my twenty-day posting at the Day Centre, I gained considerable experience working with elderly adults above the age of 65 years. The insight that I obtained from the invaluable interactions with them has enriched my personality as a social worker. Being able to treat all the aged persons equally, completely ignoring their diversity in ethnicity, age, gender, race and nationality, was a pleasure in itself. Though the interactions were a new experience, the ability to practice equality and empowerment among them constituted an achievement I cannot deny. This impartial behaviour made me a favourite among them. Guiding and assisting them gave me the elated feeling of having used my good offices for their purposes; I realised that this was empowerment. I have elaborated below the various aspects of the social work that I indulged in and my reflections at this stage. I am sharing the new knowledge that I gathered during the period.
Why I am opting for social work among the elderly
The elderly is a vulnerable group of people who need assistance from healthier people for many of their daily functions. Social work is an essential component in the care for the elderly as this group is increasing in number (Keith, 2003. p. 85). Three methods have evolved for the social integration of the elderly residents at the Day Centre. Activities are arranged so that this vulnerable population is provided the opportunities to go out of their homes. They are taken out on tours or picnics by friends and relatives or the staff or they have visitors at the facility. This support involves personal efficacy. I am proud of being part of the community caring for the aged people who need help. The 20 days exposed the happiness of the aged in the company of us, friends and relatives.
A right to enjoy life
The peaceful and contented disposition of the aged is another of their features that has touched me. This could be a result of their spiritual integrity acquired from their harsh experiences. I read that their life changes and becomes rosier with the advent of the psychosocial and spiritual aspects of life (Turner, 2005, p. 215). Turner’s suggestion that the old are “all decline” only physiologically is true to a great extent. Social contact changes their life. If they are allowed to remain without social contacts, their misery becomes untold. Though this was a revelation to me, I made amends by finding ways to improve on the social contacts and activities of the aged I met. They have an equal right to enjoy their life as they deem fit. At their age, their means of finding satisfaction may border on the spiritual. Simply attending church or praying often does not provide the spiritual dimension. However, this may work for those who have experienced difficulties in life when they found solace in His arms. Their strong religious conviction would have guided them to become successful in facing adversity.
A right to Equality
Equality of access to high-quality health care and social equality by a view of human rights are to be accorded the aged or other vulnerable population like the homeless, orphans, the invalid or ethnic groups or races or nationalities or the mentally ill. Equality should eliminate discrimination. One author has said thus: “Equality, especially in the sense of ameliorating social and material inequalities and their effects, is a central concern of welfare states and their key institutions” (Horton and Patapan, 2004).
My experience during my posting allowed me to have first-hand information on the equality issues of the aged. I realized the world of good brought about by the Race Relations Act of 1976 which was established by the United Kingdom to prevent discrimination on the basis of race, colour, nationality, ethnicity in areas of employment, service provision, education, and attendance at functions (Race Relations Act Amendments 2003, Office of Public Sector Information). The aim was to ensure equality amongst all people living in the British Community. These definitions still cannot be considered complete as inequalities of many kinds exist. Regulations were newly added in 2003 to the Race Relations Act to further cover the subject of discrimination. In short, vulnerable people like the aged had many of their rights protected.
A right to be a human
The aged have human rights as any other population. Equality is to be provided to all humans with the same opportunities and rights though cultural diversity or any other differences exist. They need liberty and security (Gandois, 2006). They must be able to live adequately and be accorded fairness of treatment; this is equity. Offering equity is to provide fair treatment without partiality while giving ample scope for diversity. Political rights should never be denied. Participation in political activity should be allowed if health permits. Whatever right is permitted to humans must be supported by legislation in this age of globalization (Gandois, 2006). It is unimportant as to who makes the legislation: making a significant decision is more important.
Reflections on other “Rights” that I found
The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 protected men and women from discrimination on the grounds of sex in employment, education, training, harassment, provision of goods, and disposal of homes. Regulations were made in 2008 for transgender people. There were laws for the men, women, for married persons in employment, for discrimination through victimization and interpretation (Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Office of Public Sector Information). Equality of opportunity is provided to men and women in all fields.
The Disabilities Discrimination Act, 1995 is also an Act of Parliament that prevents discrimination against disabled people by law (Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Amendments, 2003). The disabled with mental health problems are allowed to keep their homes; it is against the law to evict them. Some of the aged come under this category. The Human Rights Act, 1998 balances one’s rights against another’s and considers the interests of the community too (A Guide to the Human Rights Act 1998, 2006). An individual’s right is restricted only when fighting crime or promoting public health. Public concerns had to ensure that their actions conform to the conventional rights.
The Empowerment and Advocacy Theory
Advocacy is the role taken up by a social worker whose job involves speaking up for people or supporting people to speak up for themselves. Empowerment is the approach or stance that goes with the advocacy role. Social workers are always trying to influence someone on decision making so that their service users are benefited. They help to resolve problems for their clients. The service users are assisted when they have to negotiate with housing agencies. They are also supported by the social workers when being interviewed by the police officers or immigration authorities or when speaking in courts. In general, social workers negotiate practical problems in favour of their clients. The essential aim of the advocacy is that the work defined by the client is achieved. When a social worker acts following a request by the client, it is no more named advocacy. It is advocacy only if the social worker acts in the best interest of the client.
My experience of empowerment and advocacy with my aged clients
The settings I work in allowed me several instances for practising equality and empowerment among my aged clients and empowering them, in turn, to speak or ask for genuine rights or demands. Never would I have felt so knowledgeable about the needs of the aged had I just read about them from a source of information. I have also learned that my work settings require this practice of equality to ensure maximum satisfaction to the persons I cater to and myself. The practical experience has also equipped me with the ability to deal with the problems of the aged and hone my skills of advocacy and empowerment. Thanks to a destiny that has made me opt for social work, I am willing to delve deep into the problems and necessities of the elders and do the utmost for them.
In the course of my posting, I was assigned the work of accessing referrals, assessments, and other case files to gather information for completing Mrs (W’s) care plan. Case files had to be accessed for completing risk assessments and care plans as they provided background information and knowledge of past events. Instant information could be obtained from the internet on a daily basis. Other agencies, Housing, Health, Harrow Social Services, Connexions were accessed in order to fully investigate resources available for services users, to signpost and refer on appropriately and advocate on their behalf as was necessary. I informed Mrs (W) who was unaware of this service about age concerns. I gave her the contact number and application form to apply. I was ready to help fill the form if she needed me to. Having been supported daily by my practice assessor to give me guidance in my practice, I was able to achieve several of my assignments to the core. Mr (F), who was worried regarding support available to him, has been encouraged to access services from other voluntary agencies and statutory bodies. Promoting opportunities for the service users to participate and develop within the local community, I was able to reach through to many of the aged who attended the Day Centre. Often at times, I have had to explain legislation, policies and procedures in a simple way that is helpful and non-threatening, helping service users to understand the risks and how these could be managed.
Personally attending meetings, reviews and support groups to get more information, I have improved my knowledge about the support services for the aged. Having attended a Multi-Disciplinary Team Meeting in Bentley Day Assessment Unit, I have learned about planning and delivering care, assessment of need, mental health needs, and reviewing of care plans. The importance of effective communication in social care setting has been impressed upon me.
Every Monday, I formed my own group with service users, where I gave them IT lessons. These elderly service users were eager to access the computer, Internet files, Microsoft office. They looked upon the computer as a new gadget they wanted to handle. Accessing the Internet was a fun game for them. Many of them felt equipped with this new achievement or empowerment. They always had questions on information technology which I was only eager to answer. My main objective was to provide the service users a source of fun along with helping them sharpen their intellect. They were also made to search for social networking sites and to fully use them with their friends and families. It was my duty to report services that did not maintain quality. Attending a Reminiscence group was particularly useful in identifying and promoting opportunities for the service users to use their own strengths and expertise, enabling them to meet their responsibilities in securing their rights and achieving change. I was able to convince them through open discussions. Reassurance of my availability to advise, assist and support them, I encouraged service users to participate in other activities within the community like day trips. My contributions to the reviews of clients’ care plans in Bentley Day Assessment Unit have been commended by my practice assessor. I have attended and contributed to Mr (R’s) family meetings. I helped him to develop a good relationship with his family and enabled him to voice his concerns to them and managed to ensure they remain affirmed and valued. I have been involved in meeting with my practice assessor and service users to review progress and make changes to meet client’s needs. Working within a team to their short-term goals for the smooth running of the team, I have obtained feedback from team members and taken into account their advice which I am sure has contributed to how I have practiced more effectively and efficiently. I seek to ensure that I work safely and in accordance with policies and procedures of the agency, recording appropriately and keeping information on case files up-to-date and accessible.
Conclusion:
The posting at the Day Centre has changed many of my original ideas on social work. My purview has transformed me into a sociable, emotionally intelligent, and more confident social worker. Having developed an interest in working with the aged especially the helpless, I thoroughly enjoyed my days. Many of the aged are not aware of their rights by way of legislation. Practising equality and empowering them took up much of my time. I have found my vocation.
References:
A Guide to the Human Rights Act 1998, 2006. 3rd Ed.Department for Constitutional Affairs.
Gandois, H. (2006). “Democracy as Human Rights: Freedom and Equality in the Age of Globalization”. Journal of Ethics and International Affairs, Vol. 20, Issue 2.
Horton, K. and Patapan, H. (2004). “Globalisation and Equality” Routledge
Keith, P.M. (2003). “Doing good for the aged: Volunteers in an ombudsman programme”. Published by Praeger: Westport
This week’s case is focused on the psychological struggles of Michael Brown, a 17-year old African-American male. The social worker analyzed and attempted to understand the environment of the client from different perspectives. With the assumption that understanding a client cannot be considered in isolation, the social worker paid attention to how Michael’s life circumstances, his social, physical, and cultural environment shaped his perspective on the world.
The social worker incorporated the life model approach into the ecological perspective by analyzing the main stressors that caused the client’s depression. Namely, significant stressors such as difficult life transitions and dysfunctional transactions played an essential role in Michael’s attempt to develop while maintaining person: environment fit (Teater, 2014). The social worker implemented the life model approach in four stages: first, in the preparatory stage, the social worker attempted to get to know the client and his environment (Teater, 2014).
Secondly, in the “Initial: getting started” stage, the client shared his experiences, and the social worker expressed empathy while remaining non-judgmental (Teater, 2014). At this stage, the worker and client identified main stressors and goals to address them. Thirdly, the “Ongoing: working towards the goal” phase characterized Michael’s finding a school and job, a new apartment, and working on his feelings about his mother and siblings (Teater, 2014). Finally, in the “Ending” stage, the social worker and client evaluated the achievements (Teater, 2014). Thus, the author incorporated the life model approach with an ecological perspective to analyze the client’s interaction and interdependence with other aspects of his environment.
The case presents a situation in which pressures from different environments intersected and affected each other negatively. Michael struggled to connect with the school socially as he did not understand its usefulness (Teater, 2014). Although his relationship with the foster family and CPS workers was good, he missed his siblings who lived in different foster families (Teater, 2014). The client was isolated from his foster family in a physical environment and had limited contact with them (Teater, 2014). Lastly, since he left his siblings, Michal felt that he did not meet the cultural expectations of being a leader and caretaker (Teater, 2014). He also had to take care of himself and become independent, for which he did not feel prepared (Teater, 2014). Hence, these different environments intersected and caused Michael to feel as if everything was meaningless to him and that there were no prospects.
Reference
Teater, B. (2014). Social work practice from an ecological perspective. In C.W. LeCroy (Ed.), Case studies in social work practice (3rd ed., pp. 35-44). Wiley.
Social work is a broad and complex area of professional activities that embodies a wide range of decisions and responsibilities that predetermine the success of a social worker’s performance. Since the aim of social work is to improve people’s living conditions and provide support for the fulfillment of their needs, the professional in this field deals with highly challenging situations on a daily basis. Knowledge and skills are crucial for successful social work and are highly required as the obligatory qualification.
Indeed, the one who resolves social issues of the people has to operate with current research findings, legislature, and theoretical basis of the practice to provide the most accurate and relevant interventions for the clients. In this paper, the general overview of the importance of evidence-based practice will be presented. It will be followed by the discussion of the three levels of theories, including theoretical frameworks and perspectives, mid-level theories, and practice theories and models. After that, a more detailed analysis of some theory’s application in micro-and macro-practice. Finally, some concluding points and recommendations will be given in the summary.
Professional Knowledge Base
Professional knowledge is decisive for any type of work and is an obligatory requirement for a specialist in any field of activity. However, the extent, to which the intellectual abilities and expertise in the theoretical and practical aspects of the profession are important in social work, indicates the necessity to address the core elements of its knowledge base. The theoretical basis of social work practice is presented by a number of approaches, according to which one chooses a direction to the effective solution (Langer & Leitz, 2015).
The work with people’s problems and needs requires critical thinking and reflection; it is complicated due to the ambiguity of the possible decisions, on which the ultimate quality of clients’ lives depends (Marlowe, Appleton, Chinnery, & Van Stratum, 2015). The link between theory and practice in social work is created by evidence-based practice (EBP).
Therefore, when making a choice of the direction in which the work will be done, a social practitioner only utilizes “empirically-based treatment” that lies within the framework of EBP (Gambrill, 2007, p. 447). According to Drisco and Grady (2015), EBP is a decision-making process that requires a practitioner to “integrate the best research evidence available with their professional expertise and with client attributes, values, preferences, and circumstances” (p. 274). Moreover, the implementation of any intervention should be justified by the Code of Ethics that prioritizes the benefits of a client (Gambrill, 2007). Thus, evidence-based practice is the main direction in social work that grounds on the evidential proofs of the application of particular interventions which are validated by positive results.
The multifaceted practice of a social worker is bound to intervention choice, validation, and implementation, as well as direct delivery of the services to clients. The communication with people in treatment has been documented over the years, thus creating a scope of case records, which contribute to the EBP and the ethical validations of the work (Reamer, 2005). The access to the previously obtained practical experiences of the predecessors creates a competent assessment, planning, service delivery, supervision, and accountability of the work, which are of critical importance for ethically valid social practice.
According to Reamer (2005), prior documentation as an element of research provides “risk-management standards designed to enhance the delivery of services to clients and protect practitioners in case they have to defend themselves against ethics complaints” (p. 328). Therefore, theories and their practical implementation through the application of EBP construct a core professional knowledge base in social work.
Primary Social Work Theories
Any practical intervention in social service is based on a theory that predetermines the direction of thought and decision-making regarding the circumstances, values, and preferences of a client. The social work theoretical framework is divided into three levels of influence on practice, including theoretical frameworks and perspectives, mid-level theories, and practice theories and models. The first level embraces frameworks and perspectives, which are the broadest systems of ideas that shape the point of view on a particular issue.
For example, a practitioner might choose a person-in-environment perspective, problem-centered practice, or strengths perspective as a general framework, within which a cease will be viewed (Langer & Leitz, 2015). Although this level of theory might be used for practice settings, it still has some limitations, including the difficulty of measurement, challenging consistent implementation, and evaluation.
The second level embodies mid-level theories which are narrower than perspectives and provide an opportunity for a more specific application in a particular practice setting. These theories include crisis theory, cognitive theory, family systems theory, behaviorism, and others, which clearly define the direction in which a social worker should perform, thus providing more practical implications (Langer & Leitz, 2015). It is not difficult to define and assess the theories of this level in contrast to perspectives. However, they cannot be applied throughout practice settings.
The third level of social work theories incorporates practice models, which have a direct implication on the immediate application to work. While perspectives and mid-level theories are broad guides leading to practice, models provide immediate practical directions and “offer almost a how-to manual for social workers regarding what to say and do in specified client situations” (Langer & Leitz, 2015, p. 10). Such models as solution-focused brief therapy or motivational interviewing enhance consistent practice implementation and its evaluation but can be applied only to a particular population or setting.
Application of Theories to Micro Practice
Some of the overviewed theories have been applied in micro practice at the first field placement, which is Silverado Hospice in San Diego, CA. The micro practice is essential to social work and involves direct services provided for individuals and their families with regard to the particularities of a case (Austin, Anthony, Knee, & Mathias, 2016). Since the hospice is specializing in end-of-life care provision, social workers are required to apply cultural awareness, interdisciplinary knowledge, and a wide range of related skills to “address psychosocial needs of patients and their families” (Murty, Sanders, & Stensland, 2015, p. 12). The two theories that informed micro practice at Silverado include humanism theory and family systems theory.
Humanism theory prioritizes the self-worth and value of the life of every person (Langer & Leitz, 2015). This theory is widely used at the Silverado hospice in the work of social practitioners with each patient individually. The communication with each client is carried out in a manner that respects an individual’s dignity and human rights. Since the facility provides care for diverse populations, the variety of services meets the needs and requirements of every client. Respectful and supporting relationships with the residents of the hospice are key to the philosophy of the organization.
Families of the patients in end-of-life care units encounter significant psychological difficulties related to coping with the suffering of their loved ones and grieving after death. The task of a social worker is to address the needs of family members to eliminate adverse outcomes and foster healthy recovery after long-term treatment or loss (Curtis et al., 2016). At Silverado, family systems theory is applied in a manner that enables the inclusion of family members in the process of support in treatment according to end-of-life care. Extensive work with families allows Silverado staff to enhance the comfort of the patients, as well as provide support for the caregivers who are exposed to challenging psychological circumstances.
Application of Theories to Macro Practice
Social workers are expected to perform not only within the micro practice level but also in macro practice that incorporates activities and initiatives implemented within organizations and policies. According to Reisch (2016), the macro practice has emerged as an essential part of social work with the advances in globalization and organizational development. Therefore, it is critical for social practitioners to widen the scope of their influence and address global social issues with the help of communities and organizations. The following two theories informed macro practice at the Silverado hospice: critical theory and ecological systems theory.
The leadership at Silverado cooperates with large organizations of federal and state levels to implement social change on a larger scale. According to critical theory, the social workers at Silverado carry out services for each client in accord with his or her specific requirements, needs, and expectations without any oppression or discrimination (Langer & Leitz, 2015). The participation of the hospice in inter-organizational and national programs provides an opportunity to exemplify its achievements in the field of social work for the elderly and encourage others to do the same.
Ecological systems theory relates to the perception of the patterns in human behavior as a result of the influence of the environment (Langer & Leitz, 2015). Therefore, due to the fact that Silverado is often awarded for its achievements in the work with patients in end-of-life facilities, it is entitled to demonstrate its findings and practice implications. The hospice applies its achievements to change the environment to a more favorable one that enhances comfort for critically ill patients.
Evaluation of Approach
In conclusion, the professional knowledge base for social work is comprised of theories and research that form the basis for the practical implementation of service. While perspectives and mid-level theories provide broader directions for the choice of framework for future services, models supply step-by-step practical guidance for a social worker to apply in a particular setting. However, according to Adams, Matto, and LeCroy (2009), the EBP approach has its limitations related to the connection of EBP to its medical application. Also, one of the significant limitations of EBP is its high requirements for the practitioners’ skills in evidence retrieval, the development of which takes a lot of time and effort but obscures the speed of intervention implementation.
The approach utilized at Silverado is beneficial due to its high level of evidential support, orientation on both micro and macro practices, as well as the aspirations to meet the needs of everyone in the diverse population. However, the scope of influence of the organization on the community and other entities could be enhanced by the application of appropriate theories. Among the recommendations for the agency, it is suggested to employ the ecological systems theory in macro practice more broadly to initiate a shift in the national policies concerning equity in end-of-life services that would allow for non-discriminative support-oriented practice that has been successfully used at Silverado.
References
Adams, K. B., Matto, H. C., & LeCroy, C. W. (2009). Limitations of evidence-based practice for social work education: Unpacking the complexity. Journal of Social Work Education, 45(2), 165-186.
Austin, M. J., Anthony, E.K., Knee, R.T., & Mathias, J. (2016). Revisiting the relationship between micro and macro social work practice. Families in Society, 97(4), 270-277.
Curtis, J. R., Treece, P. D., Nielsen, E. L., Gold, J., Ciechanowski, P. C., Shannon, S. E., … Engelberg, R. A. (2016). Randomized trial of communication facilitators to reduce family distress and intensity of end-of-life care. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 193(2), 154-162.
Drisco, J. W., & Grady, M. D. (2015). Evidence-based practice in social Work: A contemporary perspective. Clinical Social Work Journal, 43, 274–282
Gambrill, E. (2007). Special section: Promoting and sustaining evidence-based practice views of evidence-based practice: Social workers’ code of ethics and accreditation standards as guides for choice. Journal of Social Work Education, 43(3), 447-462.
Langer, C. L., & Leitz, C. A. (2015). Applying theory to generalist social work practice: A case study approach. Hoboken, NL: Wiley.
Marlowe, J. M., Appleton, C., Chinnery, S.-A., & Van Stratum, S. (2015). The integration of personal and professional selves: Developing students’ critical awareness in social work practice. Social Work Education, 34(1), 60-73.
Murty, S. A., Sanders, S., & Stensland, M. (2015). End-of-life care as a field of practice in the social work curriculum. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care, 11, 11-26.
Reamer, F. G. (2005). Documentation in social work: Evolving ethical and risk-management standards. Social Work, 50(4), 325 – 334.
Reisch, M., 2016. Why macro practice matters. Journal of Social Work Education, 52(3), 258-268.
Despite the fact that grants and contracts are rarely viewed as the same concept, one may stumble upon a range of difficulties when trying to pin down the difference between the two. Indeed, both phenomena imply a legal binding. Furthermore, money is invested into a specific project in each case.
However, there is a thin line between a grant and a contract that allows differentiating between the two. Particularly, unlike contracts, in which one party provides financial support to another so that specific services could be delivered, a grant suggests giving money by one party to another so that premises for accomplishing a particular goal could be created. In other words, in case of a grant, the successful outcome cannot be predetermined. Therefore, the use of grants implies that the donor should provide the financial support without receiving the finalized product in the end.
One might argue that the use of grants is pointless as the area of investment due to the lack of obligations on the side of the person receiving the financial support. However, grants are a crucial part of social work since they allow creating the foundation for developing programs and carrying out research related to the needs of a particular population. Therefore, grants must be considered an essential part of social work and an important device in promoting change in the communities that require assistance.
Particularly, grants help build the programs that incorporate innovative approaches and the latest advances in technology as the means of conducting assessments of the target population’s need and designing the strategies that will allow meeting the needs in question. Furthermore, grants spur the social research that sheds light on some of the issues that need to be addressed by social workers (Netting, Kettner, McMurtry, & Thomas, 2012).
Funding Streams for Norfolk Department of Human Services
Norfolk Department of Human Services (NDHS) is an organization that helps make the vision and mission of Norfolk reality and seeks the ways of addressing the needs of the community members in a manner as efficient and expeditious as possible. NDHS focuses on developing the projects and activities that contribute to the successful development of the community and allow meeting the needs of its diverse population (Department of Human Services, 2013). Despite the fact that most of the financial support comes from only two primary sources, i.e., the State and Federal Funding (Norfolk Department of Human Services, 2012), the organization manages to incorporate innovative approaches toward the implementation of its policies and the promotion of life quality improvement across the community.
The organization also delivers its services with the help of grants (Department of Human Services, 2013). The identified approach allows making the quality of the services rise significantly since new and sustainable ways of managing the financial resources of the organization are discovered. Receiving grants, NDHS members become capable of carrying out vast studies of the problems that the target community faces and, thus, develop efficient and advanced approaches to managing the identified concerns (Norfolk Department of Human Services, 2013).
Since grants provide the basis for vast research, a significant improvement in equality of life among the community member can be expected in Norfolk. NDHS has built the premises for addressing the needs of an increasingly diverse population. Therefore, by supplying the organization with grants, one will encourage the further search for the available solutions to essential social concerns.
References
Netting, F.E., Kettner, P.M., McMurtry, S.L., & Thomas, M. L. (2012). Social work macro practice. (5th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.
Norfolk Department of Human Services. (2012). Annual report. Web.
Norfolk Department of Human Services. (2013). Strategic plan. Web.
When it comes to determining how much fair compensation for employees is, many employers are often not sure if they are offering the right wages. Without carrying out extensive research, it is difficult for them to know whether or not they are taking advantage of their staff or if they are paying for more than they get.
The objective of this paper is to carry out a critic of the market price in the context of healthcare social workers. Remuneration practices would be examined with the intention of determining if they are effective in projecting fair pay for this particular demanding career, especially in relation to heavy workload, commitment, and traditionally low wages.
Review of the pay ranges for a healthcare social worker
The median salary for health social workers was $13.87 an hour in May 2012 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014). The lowest earners made below $9.34 while those at the top10 made more than $22.16. Their general duties include helping patients with complicated psychological needs as well as economic co-morbidities that make them dependent on social programs and funding sources.
The job also entails crisis management for family members who have psychological needs because of their relationships and interactions with patients. As a health social worker, one is expected to handle referrals for high-risk individuals from interdisciplinary teams, consisting of doctors, nurses, care managers, and others involved in primary patient care.
After carrying out research on the wages of healthcare social workers, which I then compared with those of professionals such as doctors, I concluded that their range of salaries should be between $30 and $40 an hour in consideration of the work they do.
How market price position is conducted
When employers are market pricing a position, they consider several factors, although there is no specific set of rules that they are required to follow in the endeavor. For many employers, they first consider the value they expect the worker would add to their enterprises (Joseph, Kilmartin & Miller, 2008).
However, this only works for a limited number of industries where one can directly measure the value an employee adds to a firm. In the field of social work, it is not always straightforward since it is near impossible to determine just how much work one does, except by counting hours by virtue of which they would probably be just paid equally like medical doctors.
An article in CNN Money claims that the job of social workers is to step in when everyone else has stepped aside in the quest to help vulnerable people and families (Dickler, 2014). They often have to provide education and counseling services to patients and sometimes even their families. Furthermore, they execute and make referrals in relation to other services.
Most of them work more than the standard 40 hours a week. Due to the fact that they earn only about 13 dollars an hour, it is easy to understand how they are overworked. Ironically, many social workers in the healthcare sector have a bachelor’s degree, which is what psychologists have, although in a different field. Their job descriptions are in many cases overlapping, but psychologists earn almost double.
Government statistics shows that a psychologist earns a median of $33 per hour against the $13 earned by a social worker (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014).
In many cases, social workers are engaged in counseling the very same patients some of whom have been referred to for reintegration into society by psychologists. Evidently, the criterion used to differentiate the pay is notably unfair to the workers since they work more hours under difficult conditions, but earn significantly less.
Critique of the market price position
Healthcare social workers often have to meet patients and their families after normal working hours as well as respond to distress calls even during the night when their clients call them. Because of the nature of their tasks, they cannot claim to be too busy to attend a client any more than doctors can.
As a result, they end up working a lot of unpaid overtime. On the other hand, doctors earn as much as between $33 to $45 on an hourly basis, since their abnormal shifts are taken into consideration, unlike the social workers’.
I also found that 70% of social workers have a college degree. They could work elsewhere and earn much more than the government pays them. On average, social workers can spend between 4 and 10 years in school, but it is ironic and unfair that an unskilled employee in Walmart may earn more than them, and even afford better lifestyle and health insurance (Razavi & Staab, 2010).
Today, social workers are some of the personnel that are receiving educational loan forgiveness because the government considers the career to be one of self-sacrifice choosing service over wealth (Elliott, 2013).
However, some of the social workers I talked to told me that they it would make more sense if the government would pay them enough for them to pay off their student debts without requiring “charity”. The fact that the state recognized that the pay of healthcare social workers is worth much less than the education they acquired to get it implies that they are grossly underpaid.
According to a research from the University of Liverpool, social workers and teachers were ranked among the top three in terms of careers that are poor in terms of psychological wellbeing as well as physical health due to working in stressful environments (Johnson et al., 2005).
Social workers often endure a remarkable amount of emotional stress because of dealing directly with the personal problems of their clients, most of which induce stress, especially if one remains objective. Health social workers have to handle cases of patients with acute disabilities, which could be both physical and mental. Sometimes, they help patients who have been abandoned by family members and/or rejected by society.
In some situations, a social worker will also be compelled to provide counseling for the family and the patient. Ideally, while they are qualified for this, it is only to some extent since the people in charge of counseling should be psychologists. However, the psychologists are rarely available. As a result, many social workers find themselves filling a role for which they are not adequately qualified.
In addition, the high levels of stress that are encountered by the workers have negative effects on their family life matters since they frequently have to sacrifice their personal time for the sake of their clients. Health social workers have similar responsibilities with many workers in the healthcare sector, yet earn only a fraction of what doctors and surgeons make.
Conclusion
After examining the factors that underpin the day-to-day performance of a healthcare social worker and making comparisons with other individuals working in various fields, I have concluded that the former are grossly underpaid. For my market pricing, I have based salary on the levels of stress, the degree of commitment, and the value added to a given firm.
Afterwards, I have analyzed the whole industry and determined the level of competition. An analysis of what related firms pay for similar services has also be been conducted.
In the case of health social workers, they add incalculable value to society as a whole and their roles have been statistically found to be among the most stressful, albeit least paid. On this basis, I arrived at the figure of between $30 and $40 per hour, which places them under the same brackets as doctors and government employees.
Elliott, P. (2013). Student Loan Forgiveness Program Available To Millions Who Aren’t Utilizing It, CFPB Says. Web.
Johnson, S., Cooper, C., Cartwright, S., Donald, I., Taylor, P., & Millet, C. (2005). The experience of work-related stress across occupations. Journal of managerial psychology, 20(2), 178-187.
Joseph, B. Kilmartin, J, B., & Miller, A, K. (2008). Understanding Market Pricing. Web.
Razavi, S., & Staab, S. (2010). Underpaid and overworked: A cross‐national perspective on care workers. International Labour Review, 149(4), 407-422.
Management practices and their specifics have always been a core component of the organizational culture, and the two are largely intertwined. As it evolved throughout the years, so did the methods of supervision across companies. Ways in which one’s work is supervised can be a significant influence on productivity, engagement, and overall level of satisfaction at the workplace. In this essay, I aim to discuss which organizational culture would allow me to thrive professionally and perform at the top of my abilities, and which would stifle me. Furthermore, I will characterize the supervision style I find the most effective and list three questions I would initiate on the job interview to determine the quality of the supervision.
Organizational culture is the concept generally used to characterize the way different processes are maintained and perceived within the firm. It affects multiple levels aspects, including organizational traditions, ideology, day-to-day rituals, values, and professional jargon. It develops upon the combination of assumptions and unspoken rules a group of colleagues has developed for themselves and can be frequently perceived as common knowledge within the company. Generally, researchers define 4 existing types of the organizational culture: clan, hierarchy, adhocracy, and market.
Personally, I believe the clan culture would allow me to perform in the organization the most effective. Its core values are commitment, communication and mutual development, and this type of culture rewards the spirit of camaraderie and collaboration in the daily tasks. It would allow me to develop facilitation skills and engage in teamwork on a daily basis, getting access to the multiple perspectives of my colleagues. In the contrast, the market culture seems the most stifling to me. Although its orientation to productivity can certainly lead to extremely efficient work performances, its encouragement of inner rivalry could in the long run decrease my level of commitment. Despite the certain competition is undoubtedly beneficial for the quality of the output, I find it disheartening and counterproductive when this approach is promoted culturally and affects daily interactions.
The question of which professional supervision is the most effective in social work and in other occupations, in general, has been a point of debate over the recent years. I believe it to be a case where each particular worker’s skills and psychology are what make the difference. Supervision is a management tool, and like any other tool, it cannot be strictly effective or ineffective and is determined by who uses it and how. The four main models of supervision include authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and neglectful, defined by their positions on the scales of the levels of demand and cooperation.
I find the authoritative model to be the best suited for my needs as an employee, as it combines a demanding work rhythm with a highly cooperative leadership style. This supervision model provides the worker with a sufficient amount of control to stay on schedule and achieve goals efficiently and in a timely manner. However, at the same time, it encourages co-operation and swift productive feedback from the management team. Arguably, a highly demanding work environment is essential for consistently excellent performance, I would need consistent communication with my superiors to keep growing as an employee. In terms of style, I find the more open and spontaneous communication style with the supervisor to be preferable over the strictly determined one. It allows for more freedom in general, but, most importantly, leads to clearer and more honest feedback and advice when proceeding with difficult projects.
Furthermore, I believe it to be more effective when dealing with the diverse workforce of modern organizations. Cultural competence and ethical sensitivity are required to deliver effective supervision in a company that allows many individuals from different backgrounds to work together (Lusk et al., 2017). Relatively informal communication is better suited for this goal, while work process integrity can be maintained through consistent attention to deadlines and targets. To achieve this type and quality of supervision in my workplace I could utilize the internal feedback programs if I felt the company’s supervision practices were restrictive or unresponsive.
Frequently, employment interviews provide candidates with an opportunity to learn almost as much about the company they are entering, as the company learns about them. However, one has to take initiative for this to happen, and therefore I came up with three questions related to the supervision in organizations. First, I would ask how frequently, if ever, feedback sessions between employees and team leaders are being held. Second, I would enquire about the vertical communication style of the company and how much formality it entails. Finally, I would ask how the onboarding process for the newcomers is structured in the organization, as it is often implemented by the current or future supervisors. My rationale for these questions would be to get a general idea of the organizational culture and supervision style of the company. These are the crucial parts of the internal environment, and I find it beneficial to familiarize myself with those in advance to perform at the top of my abilities.
Reference
Lusk, M., Terrazas, S. & Salcido, R. (2017). Critical Cultural Competence in Social Work Supervision. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance. Web.