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Social Work experiences

Posted , 2 users are following.

christy36
christy36

Hello, I am a social work student looking to work in healthcare. I am very interested to learn about people's experiences with social workers in the healthcare environment - clinic, dialysis center, hospital. Have you found your interactions with social workers to be beneficial? How so? What have they helped you with? Have there been times where they have not been helpful?  How so? Thank you!

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • sonia68053
    sonia68053 christy36

    Posted

    Hello Christy,

    It seems that you have not had a reply for a few days - which is unusual for this site. Perhaps, like me, few people with only health (not family) problems have had any contact with Social Workers. That is why I felt I should answer your query.

    I have spent the last 3 years in an out of clinics, dialysis centres and hospitals with kidney conditions ( have been on dialysis 3 years) and other things - heart attacks, breathing problems, anyurisms, orthopaedic problems (severe) and have not seen a single social worker.

    Not that I have felt that I desperately needed to see one but there have been times when I needed support with all the things associated with these (multiple) problems. I had no idea who might be there to give such support - perhaps it would have been a social worker. I have two daughters who care very much but have to work full time so I only tell them of problems when I have resolved (or am in the process of resolving) them..

    I live alone and fortunately I am mentally well and have been able to manage a lot of illness, pain and distress. My daughters do not tell me how much they worry, but I am sure that they do and would really like to know who they could turn to for any support or advice, Perhaps that would be a social worker - I really do not know..

    Good luck wirh your training. I hope you find more satisfaction than stress (or at least - the satisfaction makes the stress bearable)

    • christy36
      christy36 sonia68053

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your response. It sounds like you have been managing some pretty complex medical issues for a long time. I’m glad to hear that you have supportive daughters, there is no replacement for good family support. I know there is a greater presence of medical social workers in different areas of the country/world. Social workers provide services according to the need of the patient. We are often providing support and therapeutic services – processing feelings associated with chronic illness, facilitating conversations between family members, discussing what quality of life means to each individual, their goals of care, as well as conversations around end of life wishes and expectations. Often, we are connecting people with supportive resources – support groups, foundations, forums such as this. We help with any problem-solving needed – financial, transportation – and we also help people navigate state and federal resources, benefits, or services. Good luck to you and reach out to a social worker if you ever desire, we’re here to support all patients!
  • kathyt68777
    kathyt68777 christy36

    Posted

    My only experience with a social worker was when my mother was on hospice care for 5 months. The social worker came and introduced herself on the day my mother was dying - we might have found her helpful months earlier, but the day my mom died we weren't interested in whatever help she was offering. My disappointment was more with hospice than with the social worker, because that final day was the only day any support was offered to us as family.

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