Mind the Gap: Specialty Social Workers’ Request for Research

This article is the second article in a series of planned joint conversations into these populations. (See post #1 here)Where are the gaps in the literature for social workers? Allie: Although there is some great writing out there in the field of hospice and palliative care (HPC) social work (The Journal of Social Work in Palliative and End of Life Care, for example), there are still large gaps that exist in the HPC social work literature. First off, there is very little in the way of research on measurable outcomes in psychosocial palliative and hospice care specifically. There is research into this work with specific illnesses (i.e. cancer), or in grief work, but there is still a long way to go in proving that what social workers do with their patients has a positive impact. Along these lines, there is a lack of information about specific interventions or methods that we can use in addressing psychosocial issues in hospice and palliative care. For example, an article might discuss a theory (such as Family Systems) and/or an approach (maybe Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – CBT), but what still needs to be written is what CBT techniques need to be applied and how these apply theory to practice. In the coming years, I hope to see more written about specific tools that social workers, especially those new to the field, can use in their practices. Lizzy: I agree wholeheartedly. In school, we talked a lot about bridging research and practice, but I believe the research side nee...
Source: Pallimed: A Hospice and Palliative Medicine Blog - Category: Palliative Carer Workers Tags: dignity therapy dual process geriatrics literature miles Omega pediatrics psychosocial research Shukraft social work SWHPN Source Type: blogs