Experiences and Implications of Social Workers Practicing in a Pediatric Hospital Environment Affected by SARS

This phenomenological study's purpose was threefold: to detail the experiences of social workers practicing in a hospital environment affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), to describe essential themes and structures of social work practices within this crisis environment, and to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health & social work 2007-02, Vol.32 (1), p.17-27
Main Authors: Gearing, Robin Edward, Saini, Michael, McNeill, Ted
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Advocacy
Aggression
Care and treatment
Caseworker Approach
Caseworkers
Communicable Diseases
Company distribution practices
Counseling Techniques
Crisis Intervention
Crisis Management
Distribution
Environment
epidemic
Epidemics
Ethics
Family (Sociological Unit)
Female
Focus Groups
Health aspects
Health care
Health Care Services
Health services
Hospitals
Hospitals, Pediatric
Humans
Infection Control
Intervention
Literature Reviews
Male
Middle Aged
Ontario - epidemiology
Patients
Professional Ethics
Professional Personnel
Professional Role
Qualitative analysis
Qualitative Research
Services
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - epidemiology
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - prevention & control
Social Work
Social Workers
Studies
Urban Areas
World Health Organization
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Description
Summary:This phenomenological study's purpose was threefold: to detail the experiences of social workers practicing in a hospital environment affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), to describe essential themes and structures of social work practices within this crisis environment, and to explore recommendations for better preparedness to meet similar crises in the future. The sudden onset of SARS in hospital settings created an immediate necessity to study this phenomenon as hospitals and health care professionals struggle to adapt to this new epidemic environment. This study is the first using qualitative research to investigate the unique perspective of social workers in an epidemic environment. The results reflect the social workers' subjective experience of their interventions with patients and families and indicate that a number of professional tenets, such as advocacy, family-centered approach, knowledge of systems, open communication, and ethics effectively supported social work practice in a crisis environment.
ISSN:0360-7283
1545-6854
DOI:10.1093/hsw/32.1.17