Unless you’ve been helped by a clinical social worker, chances are you’re not quite sure what they do. Social Worker Month is an opportunity to recognize the valuable care these professionals provide to patients and families.
Clinical social workers are licensed mental health professionals trained to help people through some of life’s most challenging circumstances, including illness, addiction, disability and abuse.
Fred Barbosa is the manager of social work for Hasbro Children’s Hospital. He says clinical social workers help patients and families cope with medical crisis and the psychological and social issues associated with illness, injury or hospitalization.
“As members of the health care team, we are available to consult on how best to assist patients and families with the stresses associated with sudden and chronic illness and its impact on everyday life, as well as to help facilitate communication,” Fred says.
Camille Gregorian, manager of social work for Rhode Island Hospital, says her team assesses patient moods, family dynamics and social stressors to create “a snapshot of who the patient is and what he or she is facing as well as what is important to them.” This information is critical to delivering patient-centered care.
Every day is something new
“Social workers never know what the day will bring,” says Camille. They may be responding to a trauma in the emergency department, and their first task is to use their “detective skills” to identify and locate family. Once family arrives, social workers facilitate communication with the clinical team and the family.
“Social workers not only provide expertise but a sensitivity so critical to emotional situations like a difficult diagnosis or end of life,” says Fred.
Impact on patients and families
Social workers are also knowledgeable about community resources and programs. They can refer patients and families to organizations that can provide assistance with an individual’s needs once they leave the hospital.
“Hospitals must be more focused on the patient experience and transitions of care, and our role is even more vital than ever in identifying needs, improving communication and linking patients and families with community resources,” says Tricia Onofrio, manager of social work at Newport Hospital.
She adds that in a community hospital like Newport Hospital they often meet various members of families – a family member one day can become a patient at a later time. “We get to know people not only as patients, but as family members, and in the context of their lives outside the hospital as well,” she says.
The work is its own reward
Danielle Fagan, manager of social work at The Miriam Hospital, says the hospital’s team of social workers often provide each other with valuable feedback about their experiences. While the work can at times be emotionally draining, it is also very rewarding to make a difference in someone’s life each day.
“Though we do not treat the physical ailment, we are able to address the mental, emotional and behavioral health needs of our patients, helping the medical care to be successful for each individual patient and family situation,” Danielle says.
“We are witnesses to powerful times in people’s lives -- sometimes very difficult and tragic times, and knowing that we can ease pain or bring comfort makes the challenges of our job worth it,” says Tricia.
Camille adds, “I love that my day is never predictable and that patients trust us enough to allow us to be with them through some very difficult journeys.”
For more information on the role of the social worker and how our team of compassionate professionals can help you through a difficult time, visit our website.
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