Engaging Social Work Practitioners in Research: Challenges and Opportunities

Contemporary emphasis on measuring and evaluating observable, behavioral outcomes reflects a major change in the profession toward greater empirical basis for social work practice. This intellectual and methodological shift has created a gap between practitioners and researchers. While social work practitioners definitely should be more knowledgeable and receptive to interventions that have proven to be effective in helping people, social work academics must pay more attention to the realities of social work practitioners who struggle daily with expanding caseloads, ever-increasing time pressures to help clients whose lives are embedded in poverty, unemployment, oppression, racism, homelessness, and violence.     

Field Instruction in Social Work

Abstract

A review of recent literature on field education revealed an extensive body of knowledge consisting of theoretical, educational, and empirical work. This paper reviews 40 studies on field education undertaken in the past five years. A number of relevant themes emerged from this review related to the context of field education, processes of field instruction, assessment of student learning and competence, training field instructors, and international practicum. Despite methodological limitations, these studies are building towards evidence-based field education practices.     

Coaching Within Social Work Field Education

Abstract

Coaching is an innovative approach within the educational supervision process with social work students. Coaching is a rapidly growing field with commonalities to social work supervision and practice. Supervision, evaluation, and coaching all follow the same processes of observing the student's work, and providing feedback and discussion to help the student's learning process. This paper proposes that supervisors and field educators be educated in coaching methods to integrate coaching into educational supervision.     

Countertransference and Clinical Social Work Supervision

ABSTRACT

Countertransference, once regarded as a major impediment in the therapeutic endeavor, is now generally held to be a potentially useful tool in the treatment and supervisory processes. These therapeutic and supervisory situations comprise aspects of both subjective and objective countertransference. A comprehensive review of the social work and psychoanalytic literature reveals several prevalent subjective countertransference themes in the supervisory situation, such as envy of the supervisee, an attitude of omniscience on the part of the supervisor, and factors relating to the supervisor's position in an institutional setting. Objective counter-transference elements are discussed in relation to reflection, parallel, multidimensional parallel, and triangulation processes.     

On the Development of a Model of Supervision for Licensed Social Work Practitioners

This paper presents a rationale for supervision of social work practitioners after licensure based on the mandates of the NASW Code of Ethics, the "nature of the work," the need to maintain boundaries in practice, and the translation of personal troubles into public issues. A model of supervision is proposed that builds on supervison as an interactive and interdependent process but does not assume clinical superiority of the supervisor. Group supervision is proposed as the primary structure because it provides a forum for the identification and development of strategies of client/client system intervention to mitigate against the individuation of personal prolems and promote their exploration as systemic public issues.     

Interprofessional Supervision in Social Work and Psychology: Mandates and (Inter) Professional Relationships

Supervision of practicing professionals has grown as a major vehicle for the assurance of clinical competence of health and social services professionals in New Zealand with a consequential increase in the demand for competent supervisors. Interprofessional supervision (IPS) has increased as a means of addressing the gap. The literature suggests there is potential for IPS to improve functioning in multidisciplinary teams and enhance clinical work, but it is relatively under-researched. This article reports on a study of psychologists and social workers (N = 243) practicing IPS. The study explored the rationale for seeking IPS and the perceived advantages and limitations for the supervisor and supervisee alike. Professional mandates may limit IPS but its development as a practice suggests that guidance is needed to ensure it meets the aspirations of its practitioners.     

Self-Disclosure of Sexual Orientation in Social Work Field Education: Field Instructor and Lesbian and Gay Student Perspectives

ABSTRACT

In-depth interviews were conducted with lesbian and gay recent MSW graduates (n = 6) and experienced field instructors (n = 8) to explore sexual orientation–related challenges in social work field education. Data were analyzed using techniques from grounded theory and NVivo qualitative software. Self-disclosure emerged as a central theme in the establishment of a positive learning environment for lesbian and gay students in field education, including the benefits of student self-disclosure to learning, the responsibility of the field instructor, and the role of the agency context. Schools of social work may benefit from training and sensitizing field instructors to develop competence in providing educational experiences for LGBT students.     

The Complexity of Cancer in Multiple Family Members: Dynamics of Social Work Collaboration

This article presents a case study of one family affected by a cancer diagnosis in both the father and the daughter, who were diagnosed within the same time interval and who underwent treatment at the same time. The article examines the relationship between the caregivers and the oncology patient as well as with one another when the stress of diagnosis is compounded by multiple, simultaneous, and similar diagnoses in a highly condensed period of time. A thorough examination of the literature reveals that there are significant gaps regarding how multiple cancer diagnoses in one family affect the family dynamic, individual and collective coping styles, and caregiver burden. The diagnoses can also dramatically exacerbate economic stressors in a family. The coordination of psychosocial care from the perspectives of the adult and pediatric oncology social workers at an urban academic medical center will be discussed. The social work role, importance of collaboration, and family centered care perspective will be discussed as a method of easing the treatment experience for families in psychosocial distress.     

The Power of Mutual Aid in the Educational Process: A Seminar for New Field Instructors of Trainees

ABSTRACT

The promotion of mutual aid has special value to seminars for new supervisors of trainees. Sharing the benefits, potential strains, and demands in the assumption of this role facilitates a smooth progression toward increased professional competence. This socialization process is enhanced by the provision of adequate support through the processes of mutual aid. Challenges and obstacles to mutual aid in these seminars relate to the intrinsic difficulties regarding fears of discomfort and exposure, desire for an expert to emerge, and challenges in maintaining a balance between didactic teaching methods and mediation of group processes that promote mutuality, collaboration, and reciprocity. Illustrations provide guidance to seminar facilitators, create a foundation for understanding these processes, and promote recognition of opportunities for the enhancement and maximization of mutual aid.     

Attitudes Toward Euthanasia: Implications for Social Work Practice

This article reports the findings of a randomized general household survey that examined the attitudes of 618 Chinese respondents toward different types of euthanasia. The general public is found to agree with active euthanasia and non-voluntary euthanasia, but is neutral about passive euthanasia. Support for euthanasia is predicted by decreasing importance of religious belief, higher family income, experiences in taking care of terminally ill family members, being non-Protestants, and increasing age. Patients were percieved as the chief decision makers in euthanasian decisions. Finally, suggestions on social work practice and professional training are made.     

Atypical Alliances: The Potential for Social Work and Pharmacy Collaborations in Primary Health Care Delivery

The growing prevalence of chronic conditions is a cause for concern globally, both in terms of its impact on the health of populations and also the strain it is predicted to place on health resources. There is a push to adopt more holistic and collaborative approaches to health care, and for the education of health care professionals to be reformed if these efforts are to be successful. A research project was undertaken in New Zealand in 2010–2011 aimed at exploring the perceptions of health care professionals on competencies in the field of chronic care. This article aims to highlight learning from the project regarding the “atypical alliance” between social work and pharmacy. Based on this, the authors argue that, with the growing expectations for interprofessional collaboration, effective primary and community health care delivery is increasingly dependent on relationships between educators in different health disciplines, between health professionals-in-training, and between education providers and health organizations.     

The Challenges of Health Care Reform for Hospital Social Work in the United States

This article examines the potential impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 on the practice of hospital social work in the United States and its implications for social work education and training. It briefly traces the history of hospital social work, outlines some contemporary issues in the health care field, particularly those that create persistent health disparities, summarizes the major provisions of the Act that have implications for social work practice, and discusses how social workers in hospital settings might respond effectively to the changes produced by the legislation.     

美国医院社会工作的历史发展过程与历史经验

美国是医院社会工作与医务社会工作的主要起源地,是世界上医院社会工作与医务社会工作最发达的国家。美国医院社会工作与医务社会工作的历史发展经验、服务范围、工作技巧、发展动力源泉、理论政策争论和发展趋势值得中国卫生、社会工作教育实务界参考借鉴。     

Supplementary Educational Model (SEM) in Social Work Education for Health Care Settings

ABSTRACT

A supplementary educational model (SEM) was developed and evaluated in order to expand educational opportunities for social work students, to enable a professional interaction for field instructors and to connect the academia teachers to the field. The study highlights the importance of SEM to update the current academic curricula to meet the ongoing changes and challenges in health care settings. One hundred thirty-seven B.A. students and 58 field instructors employed in health care settings participated in the project. Results indicated that 90% of the participants rated the knowledge contributions of the study days and study day satisfaction positively. The results suggest that SEM has potential as a tool to complement traditional field instruction programs.     

Social work supervision in Malta: A specialism in the making

ABSTRACT

The leitmotif for this piece is the development of social work supervision in Malta as a specialism. As background, I present concentric circles of influence on supervision. I first consider Malta’s geo-socio-cultural context, then the professional status of social work, followed with a focus on supervision. I next introduce the supervisors and review pertinent research studies, followed by supervisor education and supervisory practices, and then propose recommendations for future practice and research. Finally, I ask: Can social work supervision in Malta be considered a specialism in the making? My answer is yes, but it is at a rudimentary stage of development.     

社会工作理念方法融入全科医师规范化培训的探讨

全科医学教育是全科医学发展的核心,我国多数医学院校临床医学教育本科阶段并未细分全科医学专业,全科住院医师规范化培训是现阶段全科医学教育的重点之一。全科医学强调“生理-心理-社会”为一体的全人关怀,社会工作作为一门社会科学,其理念方法与全科医学在目标、内容、功能、作用等方面具有趋同性、相似性、互补性和互促性。探讨从教育理念、课程设置、考核标准、管理体系等四个维度将社会工作理念方法融入全科住院医师规范化培训,丰富全科住培内涵建设,有利于帮助全科住培医师提升服务质量和医疗职业道德等水平。     

Supervision of Lesbian,Gay, and Bisexual Social Work Students by Heterosexual Field Instructors

Abstract

This paper describes findings from a qualitative study of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) student-heterosexual field instructor dyads. Each dyad was assessed for its level of agreement in characterizing the student's experience in field placement. Disagreements were common, with more than half of the dyads having 2–5 areas of disagreement. The following factors seemed to impact the level of student-field instructor agreement: the field instructor supervisory style, the quality of the student-field instructor relationship, field instructor comfort with addressing LGB development and practice issues, the student's perception of the agency climate as gay-friendly, and the student's level of disclosure and stage in coming out.     

Health Education for Social Workers: A Primer

Health education, as a discipline and specialization, is often overshadowed by other branches of public health (e.g., bio-statistics, epidemiology, and policy management). Although social workers have been performing health education for decades, social work students may not know the history of health education as a practice profession and its uses in a social work context. The purpose of this article is to introduce the field of health education to social work students who are currently, or anticipate, practicing health education in their careers. We conclude with implications for social work education and a discussion about the impact of collaborative social work and health education efforts in the reduction of health disparities.     

Field Supervision in a Conflict Zone: Jewish Israeli Supervisors,Arab Israeli Field Students

This qualitative study explores the feelings, thoughts, and perceptions of Jewish Israeli social work field supervisors regarding Arab Israeli social work trainees, against the background of the ongoing violent political conflict in the region. Two key findings emerge from analysis of the supervisors' comments. One is of the supervisors' sympathetic awareness of the many difficulties that these trainees encountered. The other is that the supervisors themselves experienced considerable difficulties in the dyad. Along with ample quotes and discussion, this article offers detailed practical suggestions both for education and supervision.     

Serving Families on the Frontline: Challenges and Creative Solutions in Rural Hospice Social Work

Focus on the social service and health care needs of rural dwellers has emerged due to changing demographics and advocacy efforts. All rural health providers are faced with numerous unique challenges. As a valuable part of hospice teams, social workers are well equipped to have an integral role in understanding and addressing the specific challenges in end-of-life care in rural communities. In this study, a Web-based survey was completed by 339 hospice social workers spanning 40 states in the United States. Both quantitative and qualitative methods and data analysis strategies were utilized. The results reveal environmental and cultural challenges impacting social work practice. The results also unveil solutions and suggestions for addressing challenges such as creative use of resources and increased collaboration within the local resident, health care, and social work communities. Implications include potential strategies for enhanced social work practice in rural areas, yielding a quality end-of-life care for individuals and families.