ABSTRACT

Unique challenges exist for hospital social workers tasked with the care of patients experiencing homelessness. These challenges affect patient care, impact social work practice, and emphasize the need to better understand the experience of providing services to this vulnerable population. Research is limited and focuses upon the experiences of unhoused patients and of medical management, not upon the experiences of the social workers positioned to meaningfully impact care. To address this gap, the current study utilized Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to examine the lived experiences of hospital social workers providing services to homeless patients. Respondents identified fulfilling aspects of this work but also emphasized the deeply personal and professional challenges it engendered. Recommendations were offered for supporting hospital social workers’ self-care, incorporating effective practice perspectives, and providing meaningful patient support. Alignment of respondent experiences with literature on compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, work life conditions, and burnout was considered.

摘要

负责照顾无家可归患者的医院社会工作者面临着独特的挑战。这些挑战影响患者护理，影响社会工作实践，并强调需要更好地了解为这一弱势群体提供服务的经验。研究是有限的，并侧重于无住所患者和医疗管理的经验，而不是定位于有意义地影响护理的社会工作者的经验。为了解决这一差距，当前的研究利用解释性现象学分析 (IPA) 来检查医院社会工作者为无家可归患者提供服务的生活经历。受访者确定了这项工作的令人满意的方面，但也强调了它带来的深刻的个人和专业挑战。建议支持医院社会工作者的自我保健，纳入有效的实践观点，并提供有意义的患者支持。考虑了受访者的经验与关于同情满意度、同情疲劳、工作生活条件和倦怠的文献的一致性。