Medical Social Work Research Paper

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Recommended: National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics 2008

Social workers serve vulnerable populations. Social work as a profession offers numerous employment opportunities that allow one to work in a career field that encompasses one or more of the populations served that piques the social worker’s interest and passions. The subfield Social Work in the Medical Field (Medical Social Work) encompasses different arenas, such as, hospitals, hospices, long-term care facilities, community health agencies, and outpatient clinics. Within the area of medical social work, there are numerous opportunities for a social worker to further specialize in order to serve a medically vulnerable population of interest. Different sub-specialties, for example, pediatric medicine, Cancer centers, hospitals, home health, …show more content…

This is accomplished by broadly defining medical social work and identifying specific professional qualifications of social workers practicing in this area. Two local agencies, Via Christi Regional Medical Centers and Serenity Hospice, providing services in medical social work are reviewed to include agency mission, services, programs and medical practice. Two potential topics of ethical concerns while working in medical social work are addressed and pertinent guidelines from the NASW Code of Ethical are reviewed. The last section of this research paper presents professional qualifications for social workers to practice in medical social work, potential benefits of medical social work practice and potential challenges to working in the area of medical social work. Medical social work has enjoyed a long history in the United States. The medical social work model was envisioned by physician, Richard Clarke Cabot. Along with his close friend and medical social work pioneer, Ida Cannon, the team created the medical social work model during the United States’ Progressive Era (Praglin, 2007). Medical social work is a sub-discipline of social work. The medical social worker is a member of an interdisciplinary team that collectively participate in patient care and advocacy. In addition to the social worker, a medical interdisciplinary team can consist of physicians, nurses, physical, …show more content…

Via Christi cares for the pediatric population. The Grant and Norma Davis Child Life Center is a specialized pediatric inpatient unit for a variety of illnesses or injuries afflicting a child. In addition, Via Christi offers a pediatric intensive care unit for the critically ill child. Both units meet the unique developmental and psychological needs of a child, utilizing the interdisciplinary medical model. The team includes physicians specializing in pediatric care, nurses, therapists, child life specialists, chaplains and social workers. Programs for senior behavior health services Via Christi maintains a 28-bed inpatient senior behavioral health hospital ward. The unit offers different treatment options for the geriatric population who are not persistently mentally ill and my not thrive in a general psychiatric unit. Senior behavior health utilizes also utilize the interdisciplinary model to meet the unique needs of the elder population. Programs for survivors of

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