ANSWER
Engaging in this course has been an enlightening process that has offered recommendations that I intend to enforce on my present workplace, a social work setting. Three things learned from this course include the first one being the understanding of the need for cultural competence, second one being being able to conduct an evidence-based practice and the last one being the need for self-care among social workers.
Firstly, the concept of multiculturalism and cultural competence have come to the foreground of the current social work. Culture plays a critical role in the lives of the clients hence recognizing few basic aspects of the culture of the clients can facilitate an improved therapeutic relationship which in turn leads to better results. Cultural competence goes beyond experiencing cultural differences and knowing them procedurally, but rather, it demands a purposeful attempt to include these differences into practice (Sue, 2016). For example, it would be possible to apply, more cultural sensitive interventions if we try to understand that family & community dynamics are crucial in collectivist cultures. This approach is helpful in that it builds rapport between social worker and service user and is in effect a basic requirement for practice. The methods are culturally sensitive that can avoid any form of stereotyping to ensure that the services being provided are reversible.
Secondly, the course has enhanced my appreciation in evidence based practice (EBP) within the endeavors of social work. EBP comprises the application of the best available research and knowledge, skills, and client values in making decisions on policies to follow in patient care (Sackett et al., 1996). This is important since it helps the interventions to be informed by available science, which makes interventions all the more effective and efficient. For instance, the application of CBT for treating anxiety disorders well documented as an evidence based practice and its efficacy has been supported by multiple empirical findings (Hofmann et al., 2012). Accordingly, the book also demonstrated how the application of EBP to social work practice entails using interventions that are backed by both theory and research evidence rather than merely relying on theories to guide practitioners in delivering services to clients.
Finally, the course has paved some significant understanding on the caring aspect of a social worker. Due to the nature of the general environment and demands of social work, personal-relational health is crucial for the sustainability of the effectiveness in the profession and is acknowledged as protection against burn-out (Lee & Miller, 2013). The identified protective factors that should be implemented to enhance positive emotions and decrease stress levels include practicing mindfulness; engaging in moderate exercise; and getting supervision or counseling. Self-care as a concept can be effectively applied to the profession of social work to embrace self-care as a way of aligning itself in a position that enhances its ability to support clients in the best way possible and within a sustainable manner.
Therefore, the application of cultural competence, utilization of evidence based practice, and promoting self-care will not only improve the level of service delivery to the clients but also have a positive impact on the quality of the social worker who is involved in the process as well. The following are the conclusions which are basic for further improvement of individual and collective experiences within the profession of social work.
References
Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427-440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Lee, J. J., & Miller, S. E. (2013). A self-care framework for social workers: Building a strong foundation for practice. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 94(2), 96-103. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.4289
Sackett, D. L., Rosenberg, W. M., Gray, J. A., Haynes, R. B., & Richardson, W. S. (1996). Evidence-based medicine: What it is and what it isn’t. BMJ, 312(7023), 71-72. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.312.7023.71
Sue, D. W. (2016). Multicultural social work practice: A competency-based approach to diversity and social justice. John Wiley & Sons.
QUESTION
As a result of participating in this course, list three important takeaways that you might incorporate into your present social work practice. (something important you will discuss in social work)
Discussions should be approximately 350 words long, use scholarly sources to back statements and arguments, use proper APA formatting for citations and references. Review the Discussion Participation Scoring Guide to ensure you are responding with distinguished level posts.