The Process of Education in Health and Social Work

Abstract

Introduction: Every one of us may face an adverse social situation due to his ill health. If the health condition requires it, a person is admitted to a medical facility, where a multidisciplinary team takes care of him or her. Health social workers are part of such a team; they analyse and evaluate the patient’s social situation. Based on a developed social case history profile, the health social worker educates the given patient on the options and/or tools available to improve his current adverse social situation. Objective: To describe the process of patient education provided by health social workers in selected healthcare facilities. Method: The sample of respondents consisted of health social workers working in healthcare facilities on the territory of Prague and the Central Bohemia Region. The research study was conducted using our own questionnaire and descriptive statistics were used to process the study results. Results: Health social workers educate clients mainly by means of an interview over a time range of 10 to 15 minutes, which takes place repeatedly during their hospitalization. Education tools include leaflets containing information on social services and application forms for social benefits; they are distributed by the educators to the clients. Education takes place in the social department and in the department where the client is hospitalized. The client’s family his or her next of kin are educated in the social department in the client’s absence. In most cases, health social workers do not evaluate the achieved results together with the client. Conclusion: Health social workers provide patient education regularly. In the sample under consideration, the record of education was a part of the nursing documentation. The educational process faces certain barriers. To prevent them, we see a suitable solution in demanding continuous feedback from educators in the course of the educational process and the involvement of the patient’s family in shared education. We also think that an appropriate method of reducing educational barriers due to sensory impairment consists in a deeper cooperation within the multidisciplinary nursing team. Based on our study we consider it valuable to recommend continuous improvement in the quality of care for the client in healthcare facilities, with emphasis placed upon careful preparation of the educational process.