Introduction: As a social worker, my practice will reflect a research basis and my research will reflect a critical lens when considering my practice-informed behaviors in order to blend experience with evidence-based practices for better quality service outcomes to clients. In my practice, I am aware of the need to utilize both qualitative and quantitative evidence-based research results to have the greatest impact on communities. My experience in practice will guide my research into better or more up-to-date methods in order to effect better outcomes. I also understand the principles of logic, scientific injury, the need to examine presuppositions, and culturally informed and ethical approaches to building knowledge when conducting research. I understand that evidence that informs practice comes from multi-disciplinary sources and multiple ways of knowing. I also understand the processes for translating research findings into effective practice. I will utilize critical thinking skills, research skills, and practice experience in translating research findings into effective practice. I will demonstrate professional values and search integrity inclusive of character, scholarship, and leadership to become a world changer. I will take research findings to my superiors and, with their support, begin to implement the changes suggested into my everyday practice. I would also aim for more broadly-based policy changes surrounding the results of my research at the facility.
4.1 Critically Reviewed Current Research on Evidence-Based and Contemporary Best Practices to Improve Practice, Policy, and Programs
Reviewing current research on evidence-based contemporary best practices benefits my practice, any policy proposals I feel impressed to consider creating, and any programs that appear lacking in our current practice on behalf of patients. I find it enlightening to find research that either supports or refutes current practices so that I can ensure that I am staying at the cutting edge of best practice as a practitioner.
Field Experience: I reviewed research regarding the underutilization of Telehealth services and the benefits that could be provided to underserved populations. According to this article, underserved populations in rural Alabama did not utilize Telehealth services largely because they were unaware of telehealth, how it worked, and how it could offer equivalent services to in-office visits. As underserved populations often experience transportation challenges, telehealth is a potential solution to the need to support pediatric services to children of underserved populations without concern for transportation limitations. This article coincides with what I see here at Deaconess Cross Pointe, where their telehealth video visits are a service not largely utilized, indicating that the advertisement for it is probably not including doctor referalls (which the article recommends) and patients don’t understand how it can equivacate an in-person visit. If our program were properly advertised it would increase the demand to see patients virtually which would increase the value of the behavioral health assessment wing (CareTeam) in the eyes of the hospital, at large. They could be seen as a leader in behavioral health services in our region, instead of just a partner. (Relates to my Telemental Health Special Project)
Coursework Experience: In SOCW 617 I reviewed research provided in coursework which intimates that focusing on the here-and-now is a best practice when working with patients. Additionally, enabling group members to help one another in treatment with the exploration of their emotional reactions are a practice that should be utilized in in-patient group sessions (Marmarosh and Tasca, 2013; Yalom and Leszcz, 2020). Additionally, I have reviewed research in coursework indicating that interpersonal therapeutic strategies decrease an individual’s risk factors and increase their strengths when dealing with adult attachment anxiety disorders. These modes of treatment increase patients’ confidence in their abilities to overcome anxiety. Further, interpersonal experiences found in group therapy help individuals with anxiety gain strength to overcome anxious feelings in interpersonal scenarios.
Yalom, I.D. & Leszcz, M. (2020). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy (6th ed.). Basic Books.
Marmarosh, C. L., & Tasca, G. A. (2013). Adult attachment anxiety: Using group therapy to promote change. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69(11), 1172–1182. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22044
4.2 Conducted and Diseminated Research that Responded to Social Work Practice Needs and Used Ethical, Culturally-informed, Anti-racist, and Anti-oppressive Strategies to Advance the Purposes of Social Work
Individual research by an experienced clinician will be respected and utilized by cohorts that understand the Social Work practice needs that are represented in practice and value the ethical, culturally-informed, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive nature that will result from the research conducted by one of their own. Though not a graduate of social work yet, I understand the underlying needs within the department and sought to provide a resource from my research that would take into account social work values and benefit current practice.
Fieldwork Experience: In my field placement, I presented the results of my field placement to a cohort including the supervisors of my internship department. The presentation showed the current success rate of the telemental health program and reasons why visits were unsuccessful, in order to help effect change to benefit all individuals in an ethical, culturally informed, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive approach. The last page of the Power Point presentation shows the results of the review.
Telemental-Health-Outpatient (2)
Coursework Experience:
In SOCW 617 our group’s Mock Group dialogue exhibited best practices in a clinical social work setting and addressed all phases in a clinical session with varying skills that are needed to address in the clinical setting.
Knowledge: The knowledge that I incorporated in this competency included a knowledge of how to approach research with an UNBIASED OPINION and OPENESS to learn new things. The purpose of research is to gain knowledge in a certain area, so knowing HOW TO CONDUCT RESEARCH, including HOW TO FIND QUALITY SOURCES, is paramount to my success and the enhancement of my knowledge base. I also added my knowledge of how to SKIM and SCAN for information relevant to my search. Once quality information was garnered, I would then work to INCORPORATE my findings into practice after CONSULTING RESPECTFULLY with my superiors regarding the inclusion of research findings into current practice.
Values: In order to complete this competency, I had to reflect upon the values of COMPETENCY, INTEGRITY, and SERVICE. Research that is not conducted in a competent manner may cause an individual to arrive at conclusions that are not evidence-based due to an inaccurate understanding of the literature reviewed. It’s important that correct conclusions are arrived at in order to effect the most good for others. Additionally, one’s integrity ensures that they are not knowlingly misconstruing the results of research to produce faulty conclusions. And finally, it is for a desire to serve the community that a practioner does not remain satisfied using the same methods year after year, but rather chooses to continue searching for better methods. When actions arise from this motive, their research takes a personal effort and the product results from a sense of care and concern rather than mere duty.
Skills: In this competency, interaction with others is not necessarily utilized at the front end. Instead, the ability to READ CRITICALLY, ANALYZE, and EXTRACT RELEVANT INFORMATION are especially pertinant to the research process. Once quality methods are discovered, it is then important to REQUEST INCLUSION OF THESE SKILLS at the organization in a RESPECTFUL manner and then IMPLEMENT the new methods with clients, determining their effectiveness for different client groups.
Cognitive Processes: In the completion of this competency, I had to RECOGNIZE the information that was most useful to research in order to discover new methods being employed for that particular scenario. Additionally, this information would need to be COMPARED along a spectrum of methods employed for a given scenario in order to DETERMINE the best methods being practiced. Once methods were established, they would be PARAPHRASED for clarity before diseminating to a broader field and SYNTHASIZED into a SUMMARY that would give supervisors an accurate understanding of the proposed method change. I would then APPRAISE in situation with clients whether the given method was the right method to utilize with them.
Affective Processes: It was especially important in this competency that I READ CRITICALLY, SKIM/SCAN INFORMATION, NOTICE important information, and CHOOSE the most useful information to relay to those in positions of leadership within the organization.
Theoretical Foundation: The theoretical foundation that most useful in this competency includes the PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY, because the methods that I am researching are directly related to how individuals relate to differing methods based upon their psychosocial experiences in life and how they are likely to receive different interactions from others. The methods employed will be based upon an understanding of how individuals’ developmental histories impact that outcomes that are desired and the methods employed to arrive at those outcomes.