Bshs 355 - Real Life Human Services Work

Real Life Human Services Work

Learning Team C

BSHS/355

February 6, 2017

Melody Gaeraths

Real life Human Services Work

It takes a true passionate person to be able to connect to patients and love their jobs so deeply. This social worker connected on so many different levels: Empathy, Genuineness, objective-subjective balance, self-awareness, acceptance, desire to help, and patience. Each one of these have distinctive feelings and show in different ways. Empathy is being able to see and feel as another feel. She put herself in the position as her clients and their families were put in, on different occasions. Genuineness is a true act of caring. She cared so deeply for all patients; as well as her ability to do her job. Her being subjective meant that she kept her personal feelings about any situation to herself and did not express it in any manner. Objective behavior meant that she could give all facts about the clients, and release no judgment of how she seen the patient through her personal eyes. Her self-awareness was true to herself. She knew what she was worth, her abilities, and beliefs despite anything. She let all her patients know their acceptance and that what they wished for would be considered. Her desire to help was honest and pure and her patience was mind-blowing, she could take on so much and be so proud.  

Clinical Social Worker Francine Licata’s is influenced many factors in which the use of her skills are imperative. These factors not only impact Francine, but also the staff she supervises and works with, the residents of the 136 bed facility, and their families. Though she plays a major role in accessing and monitoring changes in the behavioral, and cognitive statuses of the residents, the main influential factor of her work relies heavily in advocacy. She advocates for the residents in a whole person approach, from the beginning of the resident’s admission to the facility, to possibly their end care with Hospice. Through her advocacy, she supports the resident’s rights to self-independence, dignity and quality of wellbeing. In speaking for those who are helpless to speak for themselves, she is the main support person for the residents and their families, serving as the mediator both for the families and staff. She has seen the pain and the guilt the residents and their families have experienced during transition. Though her work is challenging and sometimes painful, it has become her honor. “Working with those in need in long- term care helps me to understand how very fragile life is, and enables me to appreciate my own life so much more” Francine Licata.

Francine Licata plays a great role in her community as a human service professional. She is a supervisor who supervises two social workers in her facility. She is a director at a skilled nurse and rehabilitation center that assist new clients and their families adjust with the transition into moving into her facility. She meets the needs of her residents and their families. Her first focus is the clients for she observes them to get a comprehensive phycological assessment. Along to helping the residents adjust appropriately, she organizes recreational programs for the residents. At times, she is called to advocate on behalf of her residents whether it be with within her staff such as kitchen staff, the client’s own family member or going to court to represent residents. She assisted families with concerns and any needs that they may have. For example; she assist families with the financial process or financial burden the cost of facility cost may bring. Francine advocates for those who cannot speak for themselves. She is a very caring social worker who conducts herself professionally with compassion for her residents and their families.