“It’s like a fireball dropped in my lap”: Experiences of social workers working in pediatric palliative care
Social Work in Health Care, cilt.65, sa.9, ss.459-488, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 65 Sayı: 9
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1080/00981389.2026.2717506
- Dergi Adı: Social Work in Health Care
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Abstracts in Social Gerontology, CINAHL, Educational research abstracts (ERA), EMBASE, MEDLINE, Psycinfo, Public Affairs Index, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Sociology Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.459-488
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Hospital social work, medical social work, palliative care, pediatric palliative care, social worker
- Uşak Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
The aim of this qualitative study is to examine the experiences of social workers in pediatric palliative care. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight social workers in pediatric palliative care clinics. Data were analyzed using content analysis, producing five themes. Findings show that social workers assume multifaceted roles. Social workers develop strategies to cope with the intense emotional labor involved. Despite being essential multidisciplinary team members, limited recognition and resources restrict their effectiveness. Social workers emphasized the need for specialized knowledge and skills in pediatric palliative care, but noted that limited training, mentorship, supervision, and systemic support restrict professional capacity.