This study aims to explore the differences and similarities in the roles played by medical social workers in a health setting in Sweden. Furthermore, it tries to illustrate the challenges that impact the roles and work practices of medical social workers. : This bachelor thesis is based on previous research and literature on the roles, responsibilities, and challenges of medical social workers. Additionally, it made use of a theoretical framework that treated healthcare centres as a social system within which individuals or identified social groups can communicate and collaborate in the performance of their roles. The results of this study could provide a perspective that enlightens professional healthcare work teams to understand the roles, and to communicate and collaborate more with complementary workers such as medical social workers towards realizing Sustainable Development Goal 3 in the Swedish healthcare system. It could encourage medical social workers to tackle issues that could be working against the visibility of their roles in the healthcare system.This study adds to the medical social work practices in the healthcare setting literature by exploring the roles played, the institutional factors and practices as well as challenges that impact medical social workers’ practice.This research followed the qualitative method and data is obtained through semi-structured interviews with seven medical social workers at Sundsvall Hospital and Habilitation Centre. The responses were analyzed using a thematic analysis method. The findings of the study demonstrate that medical social workers at the habilitation centre and hospital mostly share similar responsibilities. However, this study finds that unique differences occur in their responsibilities or practice based on the healthcare facility they work at, the target patient they are dealing with, and the type of sickness/diagnosis they addressIn conclusion, medical social workers play crucial roles in Sweden, be it at the Rehab Centres or general hospitals. The study has shown that these roles are essential towards sustaining families and restoring individuals and integrating them into society through the provision of psychosocial support, counseling and family support services. For medical social workers to offer more to the improvement of health and societal well-being, there is a need for recognition of the crucial roles they play among other health professionals. This can be done with enhanced and continued opportunities for collaboration among social workers and other medical or health professionals in the healthcare setup or system.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:hig-42560 |
| Date | January 2023 |
| Creators | Adhiambo, Pheobe Winnie, Moyosore Osarhime, Adekunle |
| Publisher | Högskolan i Gävle, Avdelningen för socialt arbete och kriminologi |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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