Lecture: 4 hours/week
In this course, students engage in a variety of learning activities such as lecture, discussion, group work, case studies, and presentations.
• Roles, scope, and functions of social workers within Canadian healthcare systems, including end-of-life care
• Social determinants of health and their impacts on individuals, families, and communities
• The continuum of care across acute, primary, community, and long-term care settings
• Biopsychosocial and risk assessment frameworks in health care social work
• Application and critique of the medical model and other social work theories in healthcare contexts
• Health care legislation, policy, and systems shaping access to services
• Structural inequities in healthcare, including barriers experienced by Indigenous Peoples and other marginalized and oppressed groups
• Ethical decision-making, professional judgment, and adult protection in health care settings
• Interdisciplinary collaboration, power dynamics, and team-based practice
• Social work practice across the lifespan, including chronic illness, mental health, substance use, and end-of-life care
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Define the role and scope of social workers within healthcare settings, including end-of-life care settings;
- Describe the continuum of care and the varying levels of healthcare services available to individuals;
- Critically assess healthcare legislation, policies, and practices, with an emphasis on their impact on individuals, families, and communities;
- Analyze the medical model’s influence on individuals, families, and communities, and the power dynamics in interdisciplinary teams;
- Identify the unique healthcare needs and structural barriers faced by Indigenous people across Canada;
- Examine ethical decision-making processes within healthcare and apply social work ethical standards and frameworks to clinical situations;
- Utilize social work theories to determine effective intervention strategies in diverse healthcare settings;
- Exhibit proficiency in conducting biopsychosocial and risk assessments;
- Demonstrate an understanding of chronic illness and effective social work interventions for individuals affected by long-term conditions.
Evaluations will be in accordance with Douglas College Evaluation Policy and will include both formative and summative components. Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in a course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline. This is a letter-graded course.
Typical means of assessment may include the following:
- Written papers
- Presentations
- Projects
- Exams
- Participation
- Attendance
Textbooks and materials are to be purchased by students. A list of required textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of the semester. Example texts may include:
Holosko, M., & Taylor, P.A. (current ed.). Social Work Practice in Health Care Settings. Canadian Scholars.
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