Interview of a Social Worker

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Maryville University *

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250

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Medicine

Date

Feb 20, 2024

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docx

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Uploaded by SargentSteel10446

Interview of a Social Worker I conducted my interview with a former colleague of mine, Larissa. Larissa works for University of Maryland Medical Systems. Formerly at the Downtown, Baltimore location and now at the Midtown Campus. The University of Maryland Medical System is a not-for-profit corporation that was founded in 1984 and located in Baltimore, Maryland. They are one of the largest private employers in the state with more than 29,000 employees and 4,600 affiliated providers ( About Us | University of Maryland Medical System (umms.org) )Currently University of Maryland Medical Systems owns and operates 13 hospitals in Maryland which include the Downtown Campus and Midtown Campus ( University of Maryland Medical System - Wikipedia ) University of Maryland prides themselves on bringing innovation, discovery and research to the care that they provide while at the same time, educating future physicians and health care professionals through their partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, UM school of Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry in Baltimore. ( About Us | University of Maryland Medical System (umms.org) ) University of Maryland is one of the nation’s oldest teaching hospitals. ( University of Maryland Medical System - Wikipedia ) It is most known for the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center however they also specialize in many other areas of expertise including Transplant, Heart and Vascular, Neurosciences and stroke, Women’s health and time-sensitive critical care. University of Maryland does a lot for community of Baltimore. They have a mobile vehicle called the “Breathmobile” that provides education to children with asthma at their schools. The Bridge Program is a program that serves victims of intimate-partner violence long after they have left the hospital. The Maryland Health Men Program gives incentives such as gym memberships and healthy cooking classes in order to reduce risk of hypertension among men of minorities. ( ummc-fact-sheet-2020.pdf (umms.org) ). During the Covid-19 pandemic UMMC organized volunteers to distribute 80,872 food boxes and meals to children and families in West Baltimore along with distributing 32,00 Covid care kits that included washable cloth face masks, bottles of hand sanitizer and an educational handout on the importance of wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing. ( ummc-fact-sheet-2020.pdf (umms.org) ) This shows that the facility truly does care about the patients/clients they treat on a daily basis.

Tell me about yourself and what intrigued you to get into a profession of social work? “My name is Larissa and I am a clinical social worker! I am currently the medicine, surgery, and emergency department team lead/supervisor as Univ. of MD Medical Center-Midtown Campus. Prior to this position, I worked for four years as a liver transplant social worker at the Univ. of MD Medical Center-Downtown Campus. I initially wanted to get into social work due to my desire to own and operate a children, family, and marriage therapy practice. I found the career track through asking others who were in the position I desired to be in, how they got there. I spoke with an oncology social worker for Mass General Hospital while in my junior year of undergrad, who explained that she has a private practice providing therapy to those with chronic illnesses. She gave me the advice that a social work degree/license/career would give me the opportunities to do what I wanted while also not pigeon holing me into just therapy for the rest of my career.” What are your qualifications?  Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C)- obtained by completed MSW, at least two years of full time supervised social work as an LMSW, and took board exam  board approved social work supervisor- obtained by 18 months of practice under my LCSW-C license and taking 12 continuing education credits on supervision  Certified Clinical Transplant Social Worker (CCTSW)- obtained by being an LCSW-C, working for a transplant center as a transplant social worker for at least two years, and completing 12-continuing education credits on transplant/transplant social work How did you determine what field of Social Work you wanted to work in? “When I moved from Massachusetts to Maryland directly after grad school, I got a full time salaried position as a therapist for an outpatient mental health clinic. On my first day of the job, the clinic told me I would actually not be paid my salary until I saw at least 40 clients per week, and I would not be able to practice in the office, but instead in the patient’s homes. I was shocked at the bait and switch, but as I have learned the field, this practice is not uncommon for these outpatient mental health clinics that quite frankly prey on Medicaid clients. After that first day I immediately started applying to jobs where I would go to one office every day, no travel required, and could practice social work in any field. From there I got my full time position for the University of Maryland Medical Center as a liver transplant social worker. I never had any experience with medical social work, but as a flexible person, I was willing to figure out how to be the best medical social worker. I ended up developing a passion for transplant and medical social work as result!”

Do you find being a social worker is strenuous on your personal life or do you feel you have a good work/life balance? “I personally started to struggle with work/life balances after the first year at my job. Once I knew what I was doing, my role, and expectations, I started to pick up extra shifts all over which included emergency department and emergency psychiatric evaluations shifts. I still continue to work 50-60 hours per week, but that is due to the massive underpayment of social workers for their clinical skill, and quite frankly need to do, to afford more than the basics of everyday living.” In your experience as a Social Worker, what has been the most difficult thing you have had to experience? “Working in medical social work, you witness a lot of death, dying, and grief. Some of which is due to patient noncompliance. I have had patients who have drank themselves to death or didn’t take their prescriptions as ordered which led to their deaths. It is hard to work with clients who struggle to develop insight into their behaviors and how it impacts their overall functioning, but the silver lining is, a lot of patients do take the chance and make changes.” In your experience as a Social Worker, what has been the most rewarding? “During my time as a liver transplant social worker, I very much enjoyed working with clients through the process of them getting on the transplant list and getting their organ. It was exciting to watch them go from active alcohol use, to engaging/benefiting from relapse prevention treatment, to maintaining their sobriety long term, and finally getting an organ due to their dedication to their health.” What are your career goals? For the next 3 years? The next 5 years? The next 10 years? “In the short term, I plan to continue gaining supervision and leadership experience. I would like in the next five to become a manager of a social work department and continue to work with community stake holders to improve social work functioning in hospitals or community based practice settings. I would also love in the next 5-10 years to start teaching social work to future social workers as I have a lot to give to the growing social work field.” What is your ideal position and career path? “My long-term career goals are to be in a program director or VP/President position within the vein of social work practice. I enjoy leadership jobs and any aspect of making direct change for others.

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