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| Members of the Social Work
Department. Front row (l-r), Isabel Bailey, Kate Ginnis and
Jennifer Darling. Back row Betty Singer, Lois Green, Kathy
Furlong, Kimberley Gallant and Susan Lambert. |
 t
is well known that Children’s strives to care not just for the medical
needs of its patients, but for the needs of whole families going
through medical treatment. And a critical link to providing family-centered
care comes from the hospital’s 68 social workers. These master’s-trained
professionals work in all areas of the hospital, both inpatient
and outpatient, and each has a unique role based on his or her specialty.
Lois Green, MSW, LICSW, has nine years of experience
as a medical social worker, six here at Children’s. She works with
families whose children are admitted on the General Pediatrics and
Short Stay Services. “It’s very stressful for any parent to have
a sick child,” says Green. “Parents are often left in a sort of
limbo as they wait for a diagnosis. I concentrate on taking care
of families while the medical staff concentrates on taking care
of their children.”
Recently, Green worked with the parents of an 8-week-old baby who
was facing dangerous breathing difficulties. The worried parents
also had a 6- and 7-year-old at home in New Hampshire. Although
the older siblings were being cared for by relatives, the parents
felt the strain and stress of being away from their other children
while staying with their baby at Children’s. Green listened to their
concerns and helped them figure out ways to keep connected with
their older children, such as starting a family journal of pictures
and encouraging the siblings to express their feelings to their
baby brother on the phone. As Green got to know the family better,
she saw their need for financial assistance to offset the burden
of being away from work. She connected them with resources and helped
them take time to care for themselves as well as their children.
“This is an extremely rewarding job,” says Green. “No two families
ever have the same exact needs. But in each case, it is so meaningful
to help families feel even a little bit relieved of their stress.”
New Social Work director Susan Lambert, LICSW,
is working to ensure that psychosocial factors are integrated in
the delivery of health care at Children’s and that patients, families
or other caregivers have access to social work. “So much responsibility
is placed on families for decision-making and caretaking under very
stressful circumstances,” says Lambert. “Social work joins with
families in strengthening their capacity to develop options and
plans that best meet their child’s health and developmental needs.
This in turn contributes to improved medical outcomes.”
In celebration of March being Social Work Month, employees and
staff are invited to a Social Work Open House in the Patient Entertainment
Center, March 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. —CM
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