As social workers in a nursing home, what might Betty and Sally do to help prevent the occurrence of rude or abusive comments and behaviors in the future?

Question

Celia O’Neil, a 39-year-old baccalaureate social work student, was assigned to complete her internship in a nursing facility where she had been employed for the past 12 years and continued to work three days a week as the Activity Director. The social work director, Betty Williams, LSW, was Celia’s task supervisor but new to the nursing home setting. Therefore, Sally Jones, LCSW, served as Celica’s preceptor. Celia’s client, Mr. Brown, was a 47-year-old man admitted to the nursing home in June 2001 with numerous psychosocial needs. Celia was frustrated by what she interpreted as Betty’s lack of effort to assist Mr. Brown. She began to wonder whether her supervisor cared about the client, and she found the nursing staff uncaring and non-supportive. In addition, the nursing staff made rude comments about Mr. Brown right in front of him, which upset Celia a great deal. She felt the comments were abusive and she wondered how to advocate for Mr. Brown.

Answer 1

Suggestions include working with the In-service Coordinator to schedule brief talks to new staff during the training period, as well as to schedule the opportunity to periodically remind staff about the implications of the Residents’ Rights and how to ensure that the rights of the residents are respected in addition to the annual in-services on Abuse and Neglect and Resident Rights (see references). The training could also include information about talking to residents in a respectful manner and perhaps some role-playing. Sally and Betty (with Celia’s help) could work to create an organizational culture in which negative talk about clients is not tolerated. However, they will need support and modeling from the DON and the administrator.