Social Work Psychosocial Assessment

On September 14, 2002 a beautiful little angel named Alexa Michelle Nawrocki was born. Her first year of life was healthy, but when Alexa turned 17 months she began to develop a cold along with a low-grade fever. Within a couple of days, her cold disappeared. However the fever worsened, and upon examination at the Doctors office a mass on her kidney was discovered. She was taken straight to the emergency room and it was advised they she receive a stage IV Neuroblastoma (the cancer had reached her bones, bone marrow, and into her lungs and liver).

They feel that when people now of their illness they will be treated differently. In the article “After Diagnosis, Some Keep their Cancer a Secret” Melanie Young a breast cancer survivor says, “I didn’t want my clients to perceive me as incapacitated and jump ship” (2). Not all people react the same way some might feel sorry for the person that is going through the difficult time. Others might distance away because they do not know how to approach the situation. Skloot states “After each treatment, Henrietta would change back into her clotes and walk the few blocks to margaret’s house, where she’d wait for Day to pick her up around midnight” (Skloot 47). While Henrietta was with Margaret they would interact, but never say anything about her illness or talk about the symptoms that would come as a result of her treatment. Talking about cancer is not an easy topic because everyone has different opinions when it comes to whether to share the news with their friends and family

The patient moved from Troy, New York a few months ago after getting married. She is living in Barrington and working in Northwood. They moved because her husband's job. The patient would like to talk about depression. She tells me that she has had anxiety her whole life. She was never evaluated by a physician for this, as her parents reportedly did not believe in any medication. She says that she struggled with her anxiety throughout her teen years and went to counseling in college, but never saw a physician at that time. She is no longer in counseling. In addition to feeling anxious, she feels depressed. She says

Just four years ago Emily Dumler was living a happy and healthy life with her husband and three kids. Until one summer afternoon when Emily started to feel unwell, her sickness indeed up getting so bad that she checked into urgent care. From there no one could figure out what was wrong with her, and Emily had to stay in the hospital for forty three days, before it was realized that she indeed had cancer. Emily says, “Scott (her husband) and I were actually relieved to find out I had cancer because what I had been going through for the last forty three days was so rough and we wanted to find a treatment that could help me.

In this article, Sarah Cotterill writes about how cancer has changed the way she sees and processes the world she lives in today. During this hard time of her life she has experienced both highs and lows throughout. Cotterill is only 29 years of age but feels she has the knowledge to speak in this topic since she has experienced it first hand.

For this case study we will be examining a girl who currently attends Appalachian State University, studying social work. Through this study we will look at how biological, psychological, environmental, and family have impacted her until now. Through looking at these effects links will be created to Erikson’s theory and the learning theory. Concluding with examining the impacts of the factors in relevance to their professional development.

This is a developmental and biopsychosocial assessment of a three year old little girl. The assessment is gathering complete information from the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) during an interview with the child and parent present. The ASQ evaluates communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal social development. The assessment includes development and clinical recommendations based upon outcome. The assessment identifies a strength and barrier in the child's life within the three dimensions and how this influences this writers development and clinical recommendations. This assessment discuss how the age of the child potentially influence the child's adaptation to any change or family transition and insight

As I arrive into the office the receptionist informs me that my new client has arrived. I greet him and ask him to follow me. In the office I introduce myself and ask him how he is doing today. He seems to have a positive outlook on things. I inform him that his visit today will take no more than an hour. First and foremost I have him read and sign off the consent form. Next I inform the client about privacy and confidentially. I also let him know it is okay to stop me and ask any questions. Lastly, although he has allowed his previous therapist to share his chart with me, I confirm with him once again if it is okay for me to take a look. The client agrees and I begin to conduct his assessment.

Recently, I completed a psychosocial assessment on a patient in the PHRM/ISS program. She was 21 years old, pregnant with her fifth child. When she initially walked in she seemed pleasant. Then, before we could get started she received a phone call. She politely asked could she step out and of course I said sure. Immediately, after she walked back in she seemed anxious and annoyed as evidence by her frowning and checking her phone every minute. Then, she would continue to say yes and not pay attention to the questions that I was asking. After a while, this began to bother me. This is because I would ask her a question and she would not answer or ask me to repeat myself. Then, she made a comment stating that “it does not matter and she was ready to go because she was upset.” At that moment, I knew that I needed to take an assertive stance.

She has had cancer two times throughout her whole life and always stays true to herself; she had breast cancer back in 1991 with a stage two cancer. She had already at this time had two older sisters who also had cancer themselves but had died from it. The doctors had her go through chemotherapy and she had to get a mastectomy, a procedure to remove the breast. After a long 6 months she had finally have beaten cancer, or what they thought.

Presenting for treatment is a 39 year old single, Caucasian female born in Montreal, Canada. The client identifies as heterosexual with no children and no current intimate relationship. The client was recently released from a psychiatric residential treatment in the U.S. and referred for ongoing outpatient treatment by her doctor at the hospital. The client has a history of suicidal ideation, with her last attempt leading to her hospitalization. The client reported that both her parents died in a car accident when she was an infant. The client stated that she has a twin brother whom she did not meet until much later in life. The client reported being raised in a hyper-religious school in Quebec and it was there, the client stated,

In order to work effectively and appropriately with vulnerable and marginalised groups in society such as individuals with mental illnesses, it is fundamental for a social worker to have a comprehensive knowledge base and proficient skills.

Evita's case was unique, not in the fact that she was unaware that she had cancer for most people who had cancer back then were unaware, but because of the fact that her husband brought in George T Pack and Abel N Canonico, two cancer experts and she was given special treatment that most people would not have been given that if given to her sooner could have potentially saved her life. George T Pack was a surgeon, radio therapist, and pathologist at New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and eventually agreed to operate on Evita. While all of this was going on, the public only knew that Evita was having surgery, but not of the extent of the damage. While Pack was not optimistic of the surgery, and afterwards, after learning of the return of the cancer, refused to perform a salvage operation, believing it would not benefit Evita. Evita then received chemotherapy and was the first at the time to receive it. After all this had happened, Evita weight only approximately 79 pounds. The chemotherapy did not work either, and Evita was pronounced dead on July 26, 1952. (The Illness and Death..., 1-2)

My concern about Amy’s disease is that she is very young. In addition, having undergone a series of chemotherapy and transplant without a favorable result led to her emotional distress. I always wonder if her life will be the same physical, and psychological after 2 years of treatment without cure. However, Amy and her family need encouragement and support. I also mentioned in one of my post that the medical team can refer her to American cancer Society or any other cancer society for support.

Cancer has one of the biggest effects on the patients mental health but also the patients loved ones and friends. It is one of the hardest things to get a grip on when the doctor tells someone that they have cancer and a fifty-fifty chance of making it. "The disease can bring many changes-in what people do and how they look, in how they feel and what they value" (Dakota 4). It makes people look at the world and their lives in a different way, valuing now what they took for granted and seeing the bigger picture in every scenario. It is something that no one can actually brace, even after the doctor tells them. Through it all though, the person must remain strong and optimistic because the cancer can affect the person's moods and in return affect the outcome of the person and the chances of their making it