Primary Care Social Workers Research Articles

Educating Social Workers in Palliative and End-of-Life Care: Development and Implementation of a New National Training Program.

Background: Educating Social Workers in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (ESPEC) is a nationally scalable continuing education program designed to improve the knowledge and skills of frontline health social workers caring for patients with serious illness. Objectives: This article describes ESPEC's rationale, development, and initial implementation. Design: Following the creation of consensus-derived core primary palliative care competencies for health primary care social workers based on the eight domains of palliative care outlined in the National Consensus Project Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, an evidence-based curriculum was developed. This was used to develop a hybrid training model with a self-study component, synchronous instructor-led skills-based training, leadership training, and mentorship. The interactive curriculum incorporates patient scenarios highlighting the health social work role. Training targets high-impact skills-the biopsychosocial-spiritual assessment, advance care planning, family meetings, and interprofessional communication-and professional development. Settings/Subjects: ESPEC was launched in the United States in collaboration with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network (SWHPN). Results: The preliminary launch demonstrated high user acceptability, positive ratings for content and format, and gains in knowledge and competence. Conclusions: Data suggest that ESPEC can increase health social workers' knowledge and confidence as providers of palliative care interventions. National dissemination is ongoing.

Social workers' formal and informal leadership in interprofessional primary care teams in Ontario, Canada.

The development of interprofessional teams in primary care presents opportunities for social workers to take on new leadership positions. This study seeks to describe how social workers engaged in leadership roles in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional on-line survey was disseminated to primary care social workers across Ontario, Canada, with a total of 159 respondents. Most respondents engaged in informal leadership roles and showcased a range of leadership skills promoting team collaboration and consultations, along with adapting to virtual care transitions. Findings suggest there needs to be intentional cultivation of social work leaders through supportive environments and training. Social workers in primary care have leadership capacity and are providing leadership to their primary care teams through formal and informal means. The leadership potential of social workers in primary care teams, however, is being underutilized and can be further developed.

Social work and telehealth: How Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) social workers in the Veterans Health Administration responded to COVID-19

ABSTRACT In March 2020, the Veterans Health Administration (VA) responded to pandemic shutdowns with a rapid pivot toward providing services via telehealth. Using data on Veterans who received interventions from social workers between 2019 and 2020 at sites that participated in a national program to increase social work staffing in primary care, we examined changes in frequency and modality of social work encounters that occurred with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that primary care social workers maintained a consistent level of engagement, with increases in telephone and video telehealth encounters as in-person visits decreased. Through front-line perspectives, we discuss the practical innovations and policies that enabled those changes in care from VA primary care social workers.

Primary Care Social Work Practice with Older Adult Veterans During the Covid-19 Pandemic: An Application of Ecological Systems Theory

In March 2020, The state of New York became the American epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic with the most vulnerable of populations including older adults being affected. As a result of the Government shut-down to slow the spread of Covid-19, many primary care social workers, including this writer pivoted to remote telework detail on short notice. While utilizing an ecological systems theoretical framework, this article will explore how primary care social workers in the Veterans Health Administration worked through the Covid-19 pandemic to effectively provide social work services and case management to older adult Veterans.

O ESTÁGIO SUPERVISIONADO EM SERVIÇO SOCIAL NA ATENÇÃO BÁSICA DE SAÚDE

Este trabalho tem como objetivo trazer algumas reflexões sobre o estágio supervisionado em Serviço Social, realizado na Unidade de Saúde da Família (USF) Amélia Leite – Aracaju/SE. Relata a experiência de elaboração de um fluxo integrado de atendimento às gestantes, cuja demanda foi identificada a partir de discussões e observações conjuntas entre os supervisores (pedagógico e de campo) e o estagiário. Parte-se da compreensão do estágio enquanto espaço privilegiado que permite capturar as contradições e limites existentes na dinâmica institucional e no fazer profissional, aprofundar os fundamentos que compõem as dimensões do processo formativo, além de estimular um olhar crítico em relação às demandas, às potencialidades, às fragilidades e aos desafios enfrentados pelo assistente social no cotidiano profissional. Para tanto, busca-se fazer uma contextualização do lócus do estágio e do papel do assistente social na atenção básica, descrever a experiência desenvolvida com a equipe da Unidade de Saúde e gestantes usuárias dos serviços, além de reflexões sobre o estágio na formação profissional do discente. Pontua-se que, para além das dificuldades e desafios do trabalho em equipe, a experiência contribuiu para a redefinição de procedimentos, e, consequentemente, com a possibilidade de ações de atendimento à saúde mais integradas.
 Este trabalho tem como objetivo trazer algumas reflexões sobre o estágio supervisionado em Serviço Social, realizado na Unidade de Saúde da Família (USF) Amélia Leite – Aracaju/SE. Relata a experiência de elaboração de um fluxo integrado de atendimento às gestantes, cuja demanda foi identificada a partir de discussões e observações conjuntas entre os supervisores (pedagógico e de campo) e o estagiário. Parte-se da compreensão do estágio enquanto espaço privilegiado que permite capturar as contradições e limites existentes na dinâmica institucional e no fazer profissional, aprofundar os fundamentos que compõem as dimensões do processo formativo, além de estimular um olhar crítico em relação às demandas, às potencialidades, às fragilidades e aos desafios enfrentados pelo assistente social no cotidiano profissional. Para tanto, busca-se fazer uma contextualização do lócus do estágio e do papel do assistente social na atenção básica, descrever a experiência desenvolvida com a equipe da Unidade de Saúde e gestantes usuárias dos serviços, além de reflexões sobre o estágio na formação profissional do discente. Pontua-se que, para além das dificuldades e desafios do trabalho em equipe, a experiência contribuiu para a redefinição de procedimentos, e, consequentemente, com a possibilidade de ações de atendimento à saúde mais integradas.

Suboptimal Retention in Care Among Recently Released Prisoners: Implications for Social Workers in HIV Primary Care.

Certain populations of people living with HIV (PLWH) are at greater risk for falling out of care, including PLWH with a history of incarceration. This is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. In the current retrospective cohort study, we examined patient-level information for 340 PLWH who had transferred HIV care services from prison or from other community-based or private HIV primary care providers to a large urban HIV clinic in the southeastern United States. Results indicated that, compared to those transferring care from another community-based or private medical provider, PLWH transferring care from prison were significantly less likely to be retained in care than PLWH transferring care from other providers, even after controlling for other factors. HIV primary care social workers, who are trained to provide case management services, can help provide PLWH with a coordinated continuum of care that addresses the complex issues faced post-release.

Experiences of Social Workers in Primary Care in Ireland

This article presents the findings of research conducted with social workers in primary health care teams in Ireland. Data from questionnaires and from a focus group were analyzed. The findings draw attention to the nature of the role of the primary care social worker, including both the satisfying and challenging aspects of this role. It was evident that the participants liked the generic nature of their role and the fact that they worked with non-mandated clients. However, they encountered challenges related to resources, management structures, and interdisciplinary work. The findings shed light on an area of social work that has been under-researched.

How Many Social Workers Are Needed in Primary Care? A Patient-Based Needs Assessment Example

This study measured levels of self-reported social need in a sample of 684 veterans seen in four primary care clinics of a large Veterans Affairs health care system, using the Social Needs Checklist, and calculated levels of social work staffing to meet these needs. Data were obtained on the presence and severity of 15 areas of social needs, housing status, patient requests for social work services, and current access to other providers for social services. Data were also obtained from primary care social workers who estimated the average time needed to provide basic social work services. Nearly two-thirds of the sample had problems related to finances and personal stress. Three in four patients reported multiple needs. One-third requested social work services. Social work staffing needed for highest acuity patients was estimated to be 61 percent higher than actual staffing available. The study presents a method of estimating staffing levels based on social needs reported by patients.