Social Workers in the ED

[JJFROG]

We recently hired Social workers to work full time in the ER. Very happy to have them and we want to utilize them efficiently. They get involved in mental health exams getting people to detox and what not. Curious to see if other ED's utilize them and in what ways.

[kaycee]

I work in an ED in a community hospital. Our social workers are 9am-5pm and rarely come to the ED. Wish we had them all the time!!

Lynne

[janine3&5]

We have one full time social worker in the ER and she is wonderful- she doesn't get involved in our detox/mental health pts. She does ALL of the dealing with families when a pt dies, is critical, or a trauma pt. She does all of the contacting funeral homes, filling out morgue sheets, etc. She's the one who figures out who the John Does are. She also arranges for indigent meds for pts without any money, finds community resources for any type of situation a pt may have, arranges transport for pts back to nursing homes when d/c'ed. Any hysterical/grieving family member is comforted by her. She is incredible! I'm sure the list goes on and on. (I realize that many of these are nursing functions, but sadly there just isn't the time for the nurses to do all of these things)

[Aerolizing]

Social workers are used for mental health intakes during day hours an they are on call off hours. They investigate health care coverage and disposition if our hosp is not one of their preferred providers.

[debbyed]

Actually we have Psyc. Social Workers on call 24 hours for any potential Psyc. consults but that's about it.

Day light tells me that there are Social Workers in the hospital 9A-5P but that the ER rarely see's them. We have no access off hours. The Charge Nurse gets to add that duty to all the others.