Nursing Home Social Services Reference/Self Care/Support Systems

Nursing Home social services department works alongside many other departments and community entities in coordinating care for residents. This provides opportunities for collaboration, professional development, and learning. Being in similar industries, it is possible to build support systems for social services workers over time. Interdisciplinary Collaboration Working alongside other departments at the Nursing Home is a constant and occurs daily. Nursing, business office, therapy, marketing/admissions, activities, to name a few. Typically, Nursing Homes hold a meeting every day where departments can collaborate on resident care and solve facility wide issues. Strongs relationships between departments including nursing staff, therapists, administrators, and any staff who work with residents can reduce role strain and create trust between the two. When social services workers feel respected and included in care planning, their job satisfaction and resilience can improve potentially leading to less burnout and longevity in the role. Clinical Supervision and Peer Support Residents' emotional well-being and mental health concerns are often overseen by the social services department in collaboration with nursing. If a social services worker has earned their master's in social work, they are eligible to work towards their licensure or LCSW. Typically, Nursing Homes offer supervision if a licensed social work is employed. This individual or individuals can be working in the Nursing Home or oversee multiple Nursing Homes providing guidance and ensuring department compliance. Having a mentor, such as a licensed clinical social worker, provides a space to process complex cases, receive feedback on personal growth and job performance, and address ethical concerns. This kind of support, whether formal or informal, can offer validation and shared understanding. A mentor can be anyone who someone feels they benefit from and can trust. This is not a relationship intended to gossip or talk ill of others, rather to have productive conversations to explore their own professional actions and decisions and how to become better moving forward. Working in a Nursing Home is a high-paced, stressful environment, and having someone they can go to for advice and a second opinion can provide additional perspective. External Resources Nursing Homes often partner with outside entities to provide therapy and psychiatric care to certain residents with higher mental health needs. These entities employ therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, etc.., who work in a similar capacity as social services workers. These individuals work collaboratively and closely with nursing and social services to provide wraparound care and update on their client's current status. Professional relationships form and these relationships become invaluable insights to residents care so that social services can improve their resident's well-being. Seeking professional opinions as well as relating to the stress and frustrations of the Nursing Home, these individuals can be sources of support. Additionally, other entities like Hospices employ social workers and chaplains to provide resource navigation, grief support, advocate, and become the bridge between the hospice, resident, and Nursing Home. Collaborating with hospice workers in a similar setting can help to reduce isolation and fosters shared problem-solving and the sharing of resources.