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Absolutely. But it's also something I've noticed for years. COVID simply magnified it. It feels like social workers have always received the short end of the stick when it comes to recognition for the work we do. I still keep my head held high because I know that it doesn't go unnoticed by those we're helping directly.
In my state, Licensed Clinical Social Workers require a 60 semester credit hour Masters Degree w/ a 1000 hour unpaid field placement. Then post grad you have to work 3,360 hours over no less than 24 months in a clinical position for maybe $20-$30/hourly. In addition to that, you need 96 hours of supervision from a current LCSW, which frequently requires you pay someone in the community upward of $100 per hour. Then you have to pass a rather difficult 4 hour clinical exam. All this, to have the distinction of making the same money as people who have an associate or bachelors degree and work in healthcare. I would argue that it’s the result of 1. Social workers not being acknowledged as top tier mental health providers and 2. Mental health is not seen as important compared to physical health.
Im a care coordinator which have all the duties of a social worker, without even the slightest recognition
Yep. I have felt this way for a long time. I don't think we get the credit we deserve. It makes me feel sad.
Same with PT/OT.
Well, I along with OT & PT are dealing with the strokes and long Covid cases now. I am sure Social Work has their struggles with these patients, as well. It is difficult and heart breaking. I hate seeing the long term disabilities and suffering my patients are enduring, all for want of a couple of jabs. However, I was not there when they were acute and teetering on the edge of life on ventilators requiring intense and constant care. All this while caring for many others just like them. I did not work for weeks in a row without a day off. And I certainly did not have to be there while patient after patient died alone with only me in the room.
I am sorry you all feel unrecognized for your efforts in that struggle. I am sure your feelings are justified. We all need better recognition for our contributions to our organizations and our patients quality of life. They can start with our pay. I make less than my hair stylist and I have a Masters Degree and 30+ years of experience, but that's a different conversation. Regardless, I don't think any of us can compare our struggles and work, to that of the Nurses, Doctors, and Aides who worked on the front lines. I am in no way diminishing your work and sacrifices, I just don't think they compare to what the front line workers have gone through in the last few years.
Wow, this is really heartbreaking to read.
I used to be a high acuity NICU RN, so this really hits home. Part of the reason I left the bedside was because of the lateral violence towards eachother. The other was my own health.
People who are hurting hurt other people. Read that again.
When I was working in the NICU, the RTs and Social Workers were right there with me, teaching me the hard things. The RTs taught me everything I know about oscillators and jet vents. The social workers were there to handle the psych issues that the stress of having a baby in the NICU placed on the parents. The SWs plugged the family into the long term care in their community that the preemies would inevitably need. That was so much more than sitting at a computer and typing all day. I lost a lot of patients and the SW took over when my shift ended. That’s a heavy emotional burden to carry.
While my experience was nothing like what everyone here is going through, I am still an RN and working on COVID, just not the front lines anymore.
I want to thank all of you for your contributions and sacrifices. Every single one of you is doing incredibly hard things. I see it. I’m grateful that you are. I wish you all got more recognition. I can see your exhaustion and pain.
When people don’t understand what each specialty does, I think: how lucky are they to never have experienced an illness of that magnitude, but it’s just a matter of time.
Everyone that works in a hospital matters. This includes nutrition and environmental services.
I hope that we can all come to a mutual appreciation of each other one day and see that everyone is trying their very best under unbearable circumstances.
This.
Is.
Hard.
Completely agree. Most Social Workers have advanced degrees, whereas RN’s only require associate level (2 year) degrees.
Hospitals won’t hire anything below a BSN anymore unless they’re grandfathered in, and then they have a deadline to complete an RN to BSN. Magnet hospitals require all RNs to be BSNs.
Nurses can get doctoral degrees, so can the Ts.
Respiratory Therapists had some of that for a hot minute but we’ve been forgotten as well. Social workers have been actually dealing with COVID from day one and are now more involved than nurses!
Same with Medical Assistants. Unless you're a nurse or a doctor, you are totally forgotten about.
I’ve never had a social worker help me change my patient or draw my labs? Or do cpr while wearing PPE on a COVID positive patient. However my point is not to say that social work does not do anything. Different problems equally as important. Don’t bash one profession to bring attention to another.
Respectfully, It’s vicariously traumatic none the less to be listening and supporting trauma after trauma day after day. For whatever reason I see so many nurses and it’s exhausting and mentally draining. No one should be bashing, we’re all tired.
Same with Recreational Therapy. We are so under-appreciated before the pandemic and now McDonald’s employees make more then we do.
Solidarity from a ccls
Whatever title I have (we) are usually the middle man. I work fluid w/ medical &am conduit for all systems as you prob are- while not being formally medical. Having said that, your not alone, but I don't pay attention to it, I just know in crisis situations/ in general I am working w/ everybody at once for end goal.
My background is also art and this carries over into adapting at work. Life is already chaos here, I just try to keep a big picture and bring some people forward along the way.
Yes. For social work month last year, my hospital gave us a cheap umbrella. The nurses get luncheons and swag bags and system-wide shout outs. One nurse got an award for a case I had that I worked tirelessly on for months - all she did was provide translation once. She got praise from everyone in addition to an actual award ceremony. We’re a joke.
I’ve worked in the front office for almost four years before transitioning to clinical research. It’s sad that patients don’t understand the behind the scenes work and only praise the nurses, not to discount nursing at all, but it’s more than just direct patient care that makes an operation successful.
The pay is treacherous as well
Same with occupational and physical therapy