Social work practice in a hospital context

This unit will develop your knowledge and understanding of the role assumed by social workers practicing in hospital settings.  The unit will provide you a historical context for understanding the evolution of these roles and the organisational complexity of the modern hospital setting.  The unit will introduce you to the ethical dilemmas posed by contemporary health care practice in hospitals and the importance of practitioner-driven research in resolving these dilemmas.  You will also learn how to conduct social work assessments in this setting and examine the nature of the current issues which impact on social work practice in hospital contexts including national policies, the social determinants of health, and the impact of globalisation.