Medical social work deals with the psychosocial aspect of people’s
lives. These types of workers work in a hospital, clinic, or a hospice
and help patients with different types of medical conditions, and
problems.

There are many areas of medical social work. A medical
social worker works with patients who have a chronic illness such as
cancer, AIDS, or Alzheimer’s, and helps them deal with the illness in
their daily lives. They can assist them in getting medical help, and at
home care, or any medical equipment they may need for survival. In many
hospitals, medical social workers are appointed with such patients as
soon as they are discharged, so they can be helped.

Medical social
workers can also work for grief counseling with patients who have been
in a traumatic accident, or have been diagnosed with a debilitating
illness. They can help the patient face the problem, and arrange for the
required help. A professional may refer the patient to a professional
psychiatrist if needed. They also work with the families of such
patients to help them adjust to the situation. In many cases, medical
social workers also work with patients who have substance abuse
problems. They can get these people the help they need and can refer
them to counseling and group therapy. In many cases, they are called
upon by families to have an intervention with the patient to convince
him or her to get treatment.

In some cases, these types of workers
are called upon to evaluate a patient who seems to be the victim of
abuse. This can be domestic violence, or child abuse. If a doctor or
nurse suspects any patient to be suffering from abuse, a medical social
worker is called upon who will determine what steps to take from there.
Medical social workers also work in hospices, and are responsible for
many things. They can help patients with documenting their last wishes
and wills, and can assist with DNR (do not resuscitate) orders. They can
also help the families of such people prepare for the situation, and
help them with the after death paperwork.

In this way, these types
of workers have a lot of responsibility, and they work in many
different fields. This vast profession has many dimensions, and many
people specialize in one or more fields.

{pixabay|100|campaign}