Abstract
Health care has evolved rapidly in Saudi Arabia, based upon a Western model of service that incorporates multidisciplinary professional teams. Social work practice forms part of patient care. This study explores how Saudi social workers perceive their role and how they describe their practice within the hospital context. A quantitative methodology was employed using a self-administered questionnaire. Analysis revealed that 219 social workers perceived formidable limitations to their daily work practice. The study identified factors relating to the hospital's organizational circumstances where a) organizational structural aspects, b) organizational resources, and c) hospital management and interprofessional teamwork impacted best practice. Future research and recommendations for further study are outlined.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 273-291 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Journal of Social Service Research |
Volume | 38 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - May 2012 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Saudi Arabia
- Social work
- hospital social workers
- organizational environment
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Sociology and Political Science