Social Work Involvement

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Another major theme that was relevant to my learning as a clinical social work student was the understanding that social work is a part of an interdisciplinary team. The collaboration of social work practice with other health care disciplines has assisted with a holistic care and view of the patient. It was early in my practicum that I learned that my job as a social worker could not be done alone without a relationship with other disciplines such as doctors, nurses, program specialist, community resources, and even financial assistance programs. Researchers Jani et al suggest that, “such as collaborative partnerships involving social workers and the integration of social services into health care delivery at the community level can produce …show more content…
My understanding of interdisciplinary care was also enhanced when multiple patients with substance abuse issues and other with community violence problems resulted in the need of community resource specialist. Social work involvement in interdisciplinary collaborations assisted the team with prioritizing, establishing, and achieving treatment goal. In addition, the social work discipline encouraged other team members to understanding the person’s external barriers that could affect recovery; such as, lack of family support, prior history of substance abuse, or lack of living arrangements. Involvement in interdisciplinary relationships encouraged me to advocate for patient needs while reminding the team of client rights and preferred desired health care treatment. By week six of the practicum, I understood that social work is part of a bigger team; however, it is important to encourage the understanding of a holistic care of the patient. Literature states interdisciplinary collaboration as a; “effective interpersonal process that facilitates the achievement of goals that cannot be reached when individual professionals act on their own”.