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What is your Job Title?

Social Worker

What Does a Social Worker Do?

I am a Social Worker who provides services in the areas of Medical Social Work and Adult Mental Health Social Work. Social Workers in Health can work in a variety of jobs including:

• Medical Social Work – in acute care, long term care, and in the community. We provide Psychosocial support in the areas of chronic disease, acute illnesses, palliative care, suicide risk assessment, case management, as well as advocacy.
• Mental Health – providing supportive counseling and therapy to clients with a varying range of mental illnesses, stress, relationship, and health issues. We also complete suicide risk assessments and provide case management (and intensive case management) and advocacy for our clients whether adult or
  child/youth.
• Addictions – providing addiction assessments and supportive counseling for clients dealing with addiction issues.

What Training is Necessary to do Your Work?

A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work is required for my job. On-going educational opportunities are provided for our licensing through the Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers (SASW). Membership with SASW is mandatory for my position.

Where Do You Work?

I work in a hospital.

Who Needs Your Services and Why?

I provide services to patients in emergency and acute care. I provide support in the community to palliative care patients. I also provide individual supportive counseling to an adult mental

What is Your Favourite Part of Your Job?

I love the variety of my job. No two days are the same. My job is very challenging and rewarding and I am constantly learning from my clients.

What Challenges Do You Have in Your Job?

Currently we have some vacancy management in our profession which affects our case loads and puts pressure on us to take on more. Traveling can also be a challenge in the winter months but we utilize such technology as Telehealth and phone conferencing.

What Are the Consequences When There are Not Enough People With Your Training to Provide Services?

If there are not enough social workers in our department then extra pressure is put on those of us providing the service. Each of us will have more initial clients with high needs assigned to us each week. There often is not enough time to get clinical notations completed in a timely manner.