An exploration of the challenges faced by hospital based social workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Omusati region, Namibia
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Date
2024
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the operational challenges that hospital based
social workers faced throughout the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research also
focused on the effects of the COVID-19 on hospital based social workers, and the coping
strategies hospital based social workers employed to reduce the severity of the challenges
brought about by the same pandemic. The research utilized an exploratory qualitative
design. In-depth interviews were performed with ten (10) individuals who were
intentionally selected, and their comments were recorded, transcribed, examined, and
reviewed. Participants were hospital-based social workers recruited via non-random,
deliberate sampling procedures. Through thematic analysis using open coding, themes and
subthemes were developed, and these were examined in detail with supporting literature.
The findings of the study were safety concerns and risks, professional dilemmas,
decreased capacity to engage in self-care and increased adoption of unhealthy habits, loss
of interaction between social workers, and emotional discomfort. The impacts of the
pandemic extended as far as having hospital-based social workers (SW) participate in
distant operations with diminished engagement; happiness was affected; there was the loss
of jobs, early retirement for some, and stress, among other things. To try to reduce the
detrimental consequences of the pandemic, several coping strategies were put in place,
such as the WFH policy, decontamination of offices, national lockdowns, natural cures,
and the provision of tele-behavioral therapy to clients. Building on existing pandemic
preparation frameworks, these findings might enable future studies to create both
individual and systemic solutions. It will also assist Ministry of Health and Social Services
to request training institutions of higher learning to actively enroll men in the social work
course. Furthermore it will help in fast-track access to technology for the Omusati Region
staff, which consists of hospitals, health centers, and clinics, and to provide devices (e.g.
smart phones, laptops) to the focal emergency staff. Clients can become more comfortable
with technology-enabled care, such as using existing training curricula, by receiving
training on how to use Zoom, Teams, and other platforms of communications
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts in social work
Keywords
Operational challenges, Social workers, COVID-19 pandemic, Coping v strategies, Namibia