Social Work in the Department of Defense Hospital: Impact, Role, and Interventions

For the social worker in the Department of Defense hospital numerous challenges are faced and met while serving the nation's wounded. As an integral part of the multidisciplinary medical team, social workers perform vital services and function in diverse roles. The survey research reported in this article details some of the roles and functions performed by social workers, noting the impact, challenges, and rewards they identified when considering their work. In addition, various intervention modalities that the social workers utilize on a regular basis were identified. One hundred forty-one social workers in over 26 treatment facilities were surveyed in settings across the United States. A large percentage of those surveyed work at least 50% of their time with OEF/OEF soldiers and their families.