It was advice from someone important in her life that prompted Kim to start a career in social work ¨C despite not knowing what it was.
¡°I¡¯ve always been really passionate about health and wellbeing and knew that I wanted to work in a hospital in some capacity but wasn¡¯t quite sure what that looked like,¡± she said.
¡°I had never heard of social work before so after a bit of research I quickly realised the social work practice framework really aligned with me.
¡°It quickly became a natural fit for me. I have never looked back and it¡¯s been a really rewarding career for me so far.¡±
For the past six years, Kim has worked in a number of clinical areas including; acute mental health, general medical, emergency and paediatrics. Today she can be found supporting patients in the neurosurgery unit.
¡°This is a specialist area for brain and spinal surgery. Our patients on this ward have often experienced a traumatic event or sudden onset of disease in their brain or spine.
¡°Social workers work closely with patients and their families to support their emotional wellbeing, and to address any psycho-social needs they may have during their healthcare journey.
¡°We know that any change in someone¡¯s health status can cause a lot of stress and I feel truly privileged to work alongside patients and their families during this time of high vulnerability.¡±
While the role of a social worker may differ depending on the clinical setting they are working in, we play a key role in discharge planning and continuity of care when a patient is transitioning back into the community to their home.
¡°It¡¯s ensuring the social connection and support is in place to keep people well in the community and keep them thriving,¡± Kim said.
Empathy is an important trait for anyone considering a career in social work.
¡°And that¡¯s really acknowledging that no two people are the same, we all come from different walks of life, we all have different lived experience. It¡¯s being flexible in our thinking and being adaptive to what our patient¡¯s needs are.¡±
Kim says practicing self-care from early on was essential to sustaining a long career in social work.
¡°We need to look after ourselves to be able to be there for others,¡± she said.
¡°That can be done in lots of different ways, connecting with friends and family, looking after your own health and well-being and being near the ocean is key for me.¡±
Today is World Social Work Day ¨C thank you to all of our amazing social workers who help people on their health care journeys.