Social work 3.1
Katherine Lewandowski
Social worker on case is Linda Sanders
Interning and St. Ann's hospital
Social work student
Her supervisor in school is Marge O’ Brian
Katherine is 86 with osteoporosis and a widow. She is in a care home for 2 months from injuries(minor fractures) from osteoporosis. She speaks mostly Polish but also speaks some english. She was frightened by the medical setting and the staff. She was in a nursing home and then was sent to hospital from a fall at the home, fractured hip. Had surgery three days ago for hip and was then sent back home, after three days.
Linda went to visit Katherine and noticed that her eyes were closed and she was crying. She had poor coloring and was in a lot of pain. Linda told her she was going to go back home. Katheirne turned away from her because she did not want to hear it. Linda tried to talk to a nurse about keeping her but the nurse wouldn't hear it. Linda tried to talk to her supervisor who advised her to talk to the doctor. The doctor said Katherine used up all her days provided by medicare. The rest of the time for recuperation would be spent in the home.
Linda tried to advocate for Katherine but nothing happened. She drew up the discharge plans and sent them to the hospital. Linda noticed in the paper that Katheirne had died three days after her discharge to the nursing home. She also noticed that 5 other elderly patients also died after being discharged from the hospital.
The healthcare social worker is the link between people, health care facilities, and the community
U of M have hired over 600 MSW social workers.
Social workers in every unit
Social workers in this look at whole picture
Setting
Hospitals, physician offices, clinics, rehab services, nursing homes, hospice, health planning board, insurance companies, private social work, homeless shelter, outpatient clinics
Most health care social workers are employed in acute care - facilities that provide immediate short term care- like hospitals, inpatient and outpatient clinics and rehab centers
They advocate for staff and community. They provide support assessments, discharge planning, psychosocial counseling, case consultation, health education, information and referral, program interdisciplinary counseling and community planning. Alos advanced directive(who gets to decide what to do for you if you are unable)
Medicare is for people over the age of 65 and people with disabilities, or people with permanent kidney failure.(americans)
Medicaid is financial aid for people in poverty. For people who don't make income.
Hospitals no longer dominate social work. A majority of social worker sin hospitals are designated for specific units
Functions
preadmission services including biopsychosocial assessments. Providing emotional support for the incoming resident and family.
Assistance with adaptations to the facility, transfers within the facility and discharge planning.
Individual, family and group services maintaining or enhancing the residents functioning
Facilitating interprofessional collaboration to ensure that residents’ needs are met – advocating when necessary.
Discussion of advanced directives and financial power of attorney
Some services
Home health care: services in their own homes.
Hospice and palliative care: specialized approach in caring for terminally ill persons. Give patients quality of life. First program in the US 1970.
Social workers
Provide counseling and emotional support to dying persons and their families
Assist dying people to deal with physical as well as emotional pain
Advocate with other staff to ensure that clients and families needs are met.
Provide crisis intervention
Assist with anticipatory grieving
Following death, continue to assist family and friends with bereavement