SOCW 04 Wk 2 Discussion 1 Response To Students' Learning Res

SOCW 04 wk 2 discussion 1 response to students Learning Resources to be

Provide a well-supported response to each of two different colleagues' posts related to the roles of social workers in healthcare settings. Critically analyze their identification of three specific roles, offer alternative perspectives on interventions for three issues discussed, and support your insights with references from the provided learning resources. Each response should be approximately 500 words, clearly addressing the points with APA citations. Include a full references list at the end with credible sources.

Paper For Above instruction

Hospital social work is a multifaceted profession rooted in advocating for patients, ensuring smooth discharge processes, and representing social work interests in interdisciplinary teams (Gehlert & Browne, 2012). In examining your colleagues' posts, it is essential to evaluate their selection of roles and suggest diversified intervention strategies grounded in current research and best practices.

Response to Work #1 – Wanda Kinchen

Wanda’s identification of the Janitor, Glue, and Challenger roles offers a vivid metaphor for understanding social work responsibilities. Her emphasis on advocacy, especially regarding medication adherence among low-income populations and religious influences on health practices, highlights critical areas where social workers significantly impact patient outcomes. For instance, her focus on trust-building between patients and healthcare providers aligns with the findings of Fox et al. (2013), who demonstrate that early discharge planning combined with trust-enhancing interventions can improve adherence among older adults. A different perspective might involve integrating community-based health education programs to complement individual advocacy, thereby addressing systemic barriers to medication adherence (Mishra et al., 2011). Community outreach can tailor interventions to cultural contexts, such as Islamic health practices, providing more culturally competent care (Padela & Curlin, 2013). Including such community-level initiatives expands the social worker's role beyond individual advocacy to structural advocacy, potentially reducing health disparities.

Response to Work #2 – Cara Colantuono

Cara’s delineation of hospital social work roles—patient advocacy, discharge planning, and representation—effectively encapsulates contemporary practice. Her discussion of advocacy, particularly around behavioral health and insurance navigation, reflects the complex demands placed on social workers. An alternative intervention perspective could involve deploying technology-driven tools like electronic health records with integrated social determinants data to streamline discharge planning and improve interprofessional communication (Gehlert & Browne, 2012). As social workers advocate for policy reforms, engaging in policy analysis and advocacy at state and national levels can amplify their influence in systemic change (Craig & Muskat, 2013). Furthermore, instead of solely focusing on discharge efficiency, social workers could implement preventive strategies, such as community-based programs targeting high-risk populations, to reduce hospitalization rates (Beder, 2006). This approach broadens the scope from immediate hospital needs to long-term community health, aligning with social work’s preventative mission.

References

• Beder, J. (2006). Hospital social work: The interface of medicine and caring. Routledge.
• Craig, S. L., & Muskat, B. (2013). Bouncers, brokers, and glue: The self-described roles of social workers in urban hospitals. Health Social Work, 38(1), 7–16.
• Fox, M. T., Persaud, M., Maimets, I., Brooks, D., O‘Brien, K., & Tregunno, D. (2013). Effectiveness of early discharge planning in acutely ill or injured hospitalized older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Geriatrics, 13, 70.
• Gehlert, S., & Browne, T. (Eds). (2012). Handbook of health social work (2nd ed.). Wiley.
• Mishra, S. I., Gioia, D., Childress, S., Barnet, B., & Webster, R. L. (2011). Adherence to medication regimens among low-income patients with multiple comorbid chronic conditions. Health & Social Work, 36(4), 249–258.
• Padela, A. I., & Curlin, F. A. (2013). Religion and disparities: Considering the influences of Islam on the health of American Muslims. Journal of Religion and Health, 52(4), 1134–1148.