Clinical Social Work Journal, 36(2), June 2008, pp.177-184.
Publisher:
Springer
Place of publication:
New York
Social workers who provide end-of-life care do not always see themselves as clinicians. This paper identifies what is clinical in work with the dying. Social workers routinely elicit sources of cultural and psychological ways of coping, tolerate difficult and painful affects, and balance hope with compassion. They work in multidisciplinary teams and on every level (individual, family, and systemically) to avoid splitting or blame. Further, dying is a relational event. Social workers who work with the dying often stand in the most intimate spaces and therefore use themselves intersubjectively. This work requires considerable courage and self-care.
Social workers who provide end-of-life care do not always see themselves as clinicians. This paper identifies what is clinical in work with the dying. Social workers routinely elicit sources of cultural and psychological ways of coping, tolerate difficult and painful affects, and balance hope with compassion. They work in multidisciplinary teams and on every level (individual, family, and systemically) to avoid splitting or blame. Further, dying is a relational event. Social workers who work with the dying often stand in the most intimate spaces and therefore use themselves intersubjectively. This work requires considerable courage and self-care.
Subject terms:
palliative care, psychosocial approach, self care, social workers, dying, end of life care, ethics;
Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 12(3), 2016, pp.240-258.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia
... the discipline of palliative care, as it asks clinicians to rethink their role in being able to relieve some forms of psychosocial suffering intrinsic to dying.
(Publisher abstract)
The dilemma so central to the work of providers of palliative and end-of-life care is the paradox of their professional and ethical duty to try to relieve suffering and the limitations of so doing. While the capacity to sit with suffering at the end of life is critical to clinical work, the idea that some intrinsic suffering cannot necessarily always be relieved may model for patients and families that suffering can be borne. Clinicians who encounter unrelievable suffering may feel a sense of failure, helplessness, moral distress, and compassion fatigue. While tolerating suffering runs counter to the aims of palliative care, acknowledging it, bearing it, and validating it may actually help patients and families to do the same. “Sitting with suffering” signals a paradigm shift within the discipline of palliative care, as it asks clinicians to rethink their role in being able to relieve some forms of psychosocial suffering intrinsic to dying.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
palliative care, professional role, professionals, ethics, pain, loss, end of life care, dying;