Transformative Teams in Health Care

Abstract

This paper describes social work pedagogy and outcomes in a multi-year longitudinal interprofessional education (IPE) course incorporating B.S.W, and M.S.S.W. students. Social work students participated in an IRB-approved mixed-method study designed to evaluate individual growth and identity transformation throughout the two-semester course. Students’ semi-structured reflection papers (n=113) were analyzed qualitatively to identify core themes. Students voluntarily completed Interprofessional Assessment Scale (IPAS) surveys, a measure of core competencies in interprofessional care, before and after the class (n=48). Social work students reported that they developed increased personal and interprofessional confidence, awareness of social work role in health care, increased social work skills and leadership to use their voice in interprofessional health care teams. All levels of social work students can and should be incorporated into IPE education. Social work educators and practitioners should continue to take leadership in IPE education at all levels of curriculum design and implementation.

Social work leadership in a medical school: A coordinated, compassionate COVID-19 response

“…When it was decided to build a new medical school in this community dedicated to value-based care, interprofessional collaboration, and community engagement, the interprofessional efforts expanded exponentially. Social work held a leadership role in this collaboration from the beginning (Jones et al, 2020). After years of successful interprofessional education and collaboration, the medical school and social work school, decided to create a Department of Health Social Work (DHSW) that would be embedded within the medical school.…”

“…These sobering inequities result from the effects of decades of systemic racism and adverse social and structural determinants of health. Long-term disinvestment and neglect of communities of color and poor communities create "preexisting health conditions" that place individuals and communities at risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19 (Jones et al, 2020). Medically denoted "biological risk factors for COVID-19 like diabetes, obesity, asthma, and hypertension can reflect environmental and sociological precipitating and contributing factors, as much as racial differences in biology" (Owen et al, 2020).…”