Filed under: balance, boundaries, death, grief, hospital, hospital social work, job, LCSW, MSW, social work, social work ethics | Tags: craziness, social work practice
Today was an absolutely wild day. Our hospital was full…well, not technically full, I guess. There was one female bed left. Yes, that’s right, one bed left when I left today. So, it made for an interesting day. Staff were a bit crazed because of the work load, patients and their families were a bit crazed because they were picking up on the vibe from the staff.
And so, it was a bit crazy for the three of us working today. I ended up transferring care for the family I mentioned yesterday to one of my colleagues. I had to meet with the patient’s wife because I was paged. After I met with her, I realized that I probably shouldn’t be their social worker, having worked so closely with the patient in a different capacity so recently. So, my colleague met with the family and I have disengaged. I realized that I maybe was trying to engage with the family so deeply not because that was what they needed, but possibly because I felt I needed that.
Otherwise, I had to meet with a number of people facing the end of their lives. Some were facing their death very soon, some had some time. I realized, too, that I was better able to focus on their needs once I had passed off the other case to my colleague.
And now it is the weekend. My newest colleague is working her first solo weekend this week. She could have a busy one. I have offered her my home phone number, should she find herself in a situation she is unsure. But, I have confidence in her and her abilities. I anticipate a quiet weekend.