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Over a quarter of the members of the social work profession are working in health related settings yet preparing students to work in such multi-disciplinary environments, with hierarchical organizations and problem-focused systems, can create value conflicts, principally with the strengths-based paradigm inherent in social work practice. In order to prepare social work students for delivering services that honor the profession's ethics, values, and principles in medical environments, a focused academic curriculum and field experience are warranted. This conceptual paper aims to inform social work educators about the unique considerations for preparing students to practice in health care settings. We address how the underlying influence of the biomedical model, organizational culture, and billing and reimbursement services within the medical context can challenge social work values and practice. However, we illustrate how the Integrated Behavioral Health model can be applied to help students utilize clients' inherent strengths and problem-solving capabilities while they navigate the terrain of multi-disciplinary medical environments.

While education abroad can facilitate experiential learning, when travel is focused around collective trauma, academic tours may exacerbate harm. In this article, we describe our process of seeking to be accountable for the role of our course, which focuses on the 30-year conflict, known as the Troubles that took place in Northern Ireland, in communities that have been affected by traumatic structural violence and interpersonal conflict. We discuss the risks of perpetuating objectification and exploitation, and of mediating strategies for building reciprocity and solidarity. Special attention must be given to these issues to facilitate just and ethical learning experiences that model appropriate professional development for social work students.

Substance use disorders and the mortality rate associated with overdoses are well publicized health crises, yet practitioner biases and lack of experience present barriers to care. Student practicum experiences can assuage these concerns, yet specialized training to treat substance use disorders is lacking. Practicums for behavioral health students provide specialized, applied learning opportunities that are foundational to developing skills and perspectives on the obstacles and opportunities of working with substance use disorders. Understanding treatment needs and training gaps from the perspective of those entering the field contributes a unique perspective. This qualitative project applied thematic analysis to the responses of two focus groups of mental health trainees (N = 18) to elicit lessons learned following a two-semester practicum in substance misuse treatment settings. Three themes emerged: Organizational, Client, and Personal Lessons Learned, which identify actionable steps for training programs and treatment agencies to support new practitioners. Trainees articulated gains in knowledge, attitudes, and skills, and in understanding factors influencing client outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although burnout is a known risk for practitioners, some social work students may experience burnout in the classroom as a result of role conflict from balancing academics with employment. Higher rates of burnout occur in other disciplines in employed students, even higher than in professionals, because of the stress of shifting priorities between workplace and collegiate responsibilities. Employment can decrease collegiate engagement and academic competence and deter persistence to degree, all of which lead to the reduced competency associated with burnout. Additionally, physical and mental health factors are associated with role conflict, leading to a higher risk of burnout for employed students and resulting in burnout for social work students in the classroom even prior to becoming a practitioner.

This cross-sectional survey study (N = 222) examined the influences of employment on graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in majors with significant internship or practicum requirements (journalism, social work, nursing and health sciences). The study is unique in that student perceptions regarding the challenges and rewards of working while attending college were solicited and used to identify potential differences in these perceptions by discipline, student status, and employment status. Students reported that working constrained the time available for studying and completing assignments, created logistical difficulties, caused physical and mental health problems, and resulted in negative academic consequences. On the other hand, some students reported that employment had a positive influence (time-management skills, real-life experiences). The authors employ rational choice theory to suggest that students understand the positive and negative influences of employment and choose whether and how much to work, despite potential consequences.

Social work students typically use role play with student colleagues to practice clinical intervention skills. Practice with simulated clients (SCs) rather than classmates changes the dynamics of the role play and may improve learning. This is the first known study to employ the SC model in substance use assessment in social work education. Social work students completed a questionnaire assessing attitudes, knowledge, and perceived skills (AKS) regarding substance misuse prior to completing an online screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment training, and then following role plays with SCs. Paired t-tests indicate increased confidence in substance use assessment and intervention ability, and stronger feelings that routine screening is critical to practice. Incorporating SCs with didactic learning increases students' self-perceived ability to assess and change client behaviors and reduce substance misuse.

Objectives: Moral distress is associated with adverse outcomes contributing to health-care professionals' worsened mental and physical well-being. Medical social workers have been frontline care providers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and those specializing in palliative and hospice care have been particularly affected by the overwhelming numbers of those seriously ill and dying. The main objectives of this study were (1) to assess palliative and hospice social workers' experiences of moral distress during COVID-19 and (2) to identify and describe participants' most morally distressing scenarios. Methods: Using a mixed-methods approach, participants completed an online survey consisting of the Moral Distress Thermometer (MDT) and open-ended text responses. Results: A total of 120 social work participants responded to the study, and the majority of participants (81.4%) had experienced moral distress with an average MDT score of 6.16. COVID-19 restrictions emerged as the main source of moral distress, and an overlap between the clinical and system levels was observed. Primary sources of moral distress were grounded in strict visitation policies and system-level standards that impacted best practices and personal obligations in navigating both work responsibilities and safety. Significance: In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, palliative and hospice social work participants indicated high levels of moral distress. Qualitative findings from this study promote awareness of the kinds of distressing situations palliative and hospice social workers may experience. This knowledge can have education, practice, and policy implications and supports the need for research to explore this aspect of professional social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review focuses on parental decision making regarding the care and treatment of children with cancer. Articles were abstracted from the following sources: Ovid Databases (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, [...]

COVID-19 has introduced mental health professionals to unprecedented levels of distress. Mental health trainees have also experienced considerable transitions in their work, school, and personal lives; however, few studies have investigated the impacts on their wellbeing. This brief, qualitative study surveyed two focus groups consisting of mental health trainees to elicit their perceptions and experiences of adjusting during the onset of COVID-19. Two key themes emerged: "Striving and Surviving," and "Not Thriving." These themes represent the spectrum of adjustment profiles the trainees reported. Implications for the training of mental health professionals and support of their wellbeing are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While field education has been designated the signature pedagogy of the social work curriculum, students often have exposure to social welfare agencies long before practicum semester(s). Despite the number of social work programs that utilize volunteering to help students better understand the social work profession, little is known about the effects of volunteering on academic measures as well as the student. This study (N=67) found that volunteering has considerable positive benefits for the implicit curriculum through socializing the student, providing a real world context, and embodying the professional value of service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]