Week 5 Summative Assessment Self-Care Techniques Action Plan

docx

School

University of Phoenix *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

220

Subject

Sociology

Date

Feb 20, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by Natcha35

1 Week 5 Summative Assessment: Self-Care Techniques Action Plan Natcha Miles-Brown University of Phoenix SWRK/220 Laura Snell February 11, 2024

2 Summative Assessment: Self-Care Techniques Action Plan The concept of self-care for a social worker is essential in the practice of professionals. “Self-care affects a myriad of aspects of social work practice, such as staff morale, professional accountability, ethical conduct, burnout, and ultimately the health of organizations and the professional itself” (Miller and Owens, 2020). Self-care for a social worker is an essential survival skill. Self-care regularly helps to reduce stress, and burnout, and enhance a person’s health and well-being. “Developing a self-care action plan will help the social worker’s daily maintenance, physical and psychological health, emotional and spiritual needs, and relationships” (Butler, 2015). Factors That Cause Compassion Fatigue or Stress in Social Work Practice Many factors that can cause compassion fatigue or stress in social work practice are mental and/or physical exhaustion, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. Mental and/or physical exhaustion can happen when a social worker is exposed to other people’s trauma or stress. “Mental and/or physical exhaustion is characterized by decreased ability to empathize, feelings of helplessness, and burnout due to demands of supporting those who are suffering” (Cherry, 2023). The social worker experiencing burnout may feel a lack of interest in work and motivation. Compassion fatigue is a type of burnout where the person has negative emotions and has no feelings of empathy for others who are experiencing pain, trauma, and other stressors. Secondary traumatic stress happens when a social worker feels he or she is unable to help someone who is suffering and often is like post-traumatic stress disorder. Obstacles or Barriers to Self-Care in Social Work Many social workers may experience obstacles or barriers to self-care such as lack of energy, having too many responsibilities at one time, and/or the fear of seeming as if the person

3 is vulnerable or weak. Some other social workers may feel that self-care is not achievable due to working nonstop and look at self-care as rather an activity and not a necessity for work. Techniques, Tools, or Habits to Exercise Self-Care in Social Work Practice One technique, tool, or habit to practice self-care is reducing stress levels. A social worker may need to take a break from the stress source by reducing one’s workload. Reducing the social worker’s workload may require seeing fewer patients and/or clients or changing the area of care for patients. Another technique, tool, or habit is maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sleep to help a social worker’s physical well- being. An emotional technique, tool, or habit is practicing the use of positive affirmations. A spiritual technique, tool, or habit is making time for self-reflection and/or spending time in nature. A social worker can practice muscle relaxation and deep-breathing exercises, also to help with the physical and emotional well-being of the worker. How Techniques Identified Support Mental and/or Physical Well-Being A social worker’s physical health can decline due to compassion fatigue, but the use of different techniques, tools, or habits may be beneficial. Physical health can cause the social worker to have weight gain and fatigue. Without the proper care of one’s self-care, the social worker has less concentration on the patient’s proper care needed. The social worker’s cognitive well-being technique or tools used can help to reduce stress and/or burnout. A social worker can practice self-talking and use positive affirmations to help lower stress and improve one’s emotional well-being. The self-reflection allows the social worker to make time for one’s spiritual well-being by removing oneself from the room or the issues that a client is experiencing. The social worker may spend time in nature by escaping for a self-care break. Breathing

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

4 exercises and muscle relaxation can help the social worker and the client to relax and manage stress to prevent compassion fatigue and burnout.

5 References Bourne, J. (2021) Self-Care for Therapists: Tools & Counselor Self-Care Plan Retrieved from: https://positivepsychology.com/self-care-strategies-therapists/ Butler, L. (2024). Introduction to Self-Care Retrieved from: https://socialwork.buffalo.edu/resources/self-care-starter-kit/introduction-to-self- care.html Cherry, K. (2023). Compassion Fatigue: The Toll of Caring Too Much Retrieved from: https://www.verywellmind.com/compassion-fatigue-the-toll-of-caring- too-much-7377301#toc-burnout-vs-compassion-fatigue Jackson, K. (2014). Social Worker Self-Care- The Overlooked Core Competency. Social Work Today. Vol.14, No. 3, P. 14. Retrieved from: https://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/051214p14.shtml J “Jay” Miller, Erlene Grise-Owens, Self-Care: An Imperative, Social Work, Volume 65, Issue 1, January 2020, Pages 5–9, https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swz049 Reisch, M. (2021). Social work ethics in a changing society (1st ed.). Cognella.

Related Documents

DQ's.docx

Clinical Field Experience C - Special Education Teacher Observation and Feedback.docx

Diversity is not just about skin color.docx

Addressing+Equity+and+Social+Justice+in+Social+Welfare+Policies+and+Programs(1).pdf

RES 825 - Research Topic.docx

Week 4 Problem Solving Report.docx

Discussion 7 SOC 317.docx

Ritzer5e_TB05.docx.pdf

SPD556 T2DQ2.docx

Discussion Two Soc 317.docx

Discussion Six Soc 317.docx

Discussion Four Soc 317.docx

Recommended textbooks for you

Social Psychology (10th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134641287

Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers

Publisher:Pearson College Div

Introduction to Sociology (Eleventh Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780393639407

Author:Deborah Carr, Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, Richard P. Appelbaum

Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company

The Basics of Social Research (MindTap Course Lis...

Sociology

ISBN:9781305503076

Author:Earl R. Babbie

Publisher:Cengage Learning

Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Scien...

Sociology

ISBN:9780134477596

Author:Saferstein, Richard

Publisher:PEARSON

Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (13th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134205571

Author:James M. Henslin

Publisher:PEARSON

Society: The Basics (14th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134206325

Author:John J. Macionis

Publisher:PEARSON

SEE MORE TEXTBOOKS

Recommended textbooks for you

Social Psychology (10th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134641287
Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Publisher:Pearson College Div
Introduction to Sociology (Eleventh Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780393639407
Author:Deborah Carr, Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, Richard P. Appelbaum
Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company
The Basics of Social Research (MindTap Course Lis...
Sociology
ISBN:9781305503076
Author:Earl R. Babbie
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Scien...
Sociology
ISBN:9780134477596
Author:Saferstein, Richard
Publisher:PEARSON
Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (13th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134205571
Author:James M. Henslin
Publisher:PEARSON
Society: The Basics (14th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134206325
Author:John J. Macionis
Publisher:PEARSON