The COVID-19 Pandemic's Impact on UK Older People's Social Workers: A Mixed-Methods Study

In this article, we examined the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being, working conditions of social workers employed in UK older people's services and their intentions to leave the social work profession. Data came from a wider study of health and social care practitioners who completed online surveys at five different time points during the COVID-19 pandemic. The surveys contained both quantitative and qualitative questions. We analysed the responses of 426 social workers who worked in older people's services between May 2020 and July 2022 and found that: The well-being of older people's social workers declined as the pandemic progressed and remained low in comparison to UK population norms. Lower well-being scores were associated with greater intentions to leave the social work profession. In comparison to older people's social workers who were aged sixty plus years, those aged between twenty and forty years were more than seven times more likely to state their intentions to leave social work. Lastly, respondents voiced concerns over staffing levels and staff absences;feelings of being unsupported and isolated;increased pressures;and a blurring of home-work boundaries. The social work profession was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we examined the well-being, working conditions and intentions to leave the social work profession among a sample of UK older people's social workers. This was a cross-sectional mixed methods study analysing data from 426 social workers who worked in older people's services in the UK at five time points of the pandemic spanning 2020-2022. Data were collected using anonymous online surveys which included both quantitative and qualitative questions. The mental well-being of participants decreased as the pandemic progressed and this decline was associated with intentions to leave the profession. Thematic analysis of qualitative data revealed two major themes: Practice challenges and Staff well-being. The findings highlight the nature of stressors related to internal related practice demands, and external health and social care service stressors encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic and have implications for policy, practice and research in older people's social work.

The Role of Social Work Education in Relation to Empathy and Self-Reported Resilience: Results from Entry to Exit of Social Work Education on the Island of Ireland during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of people's lives worldwide, including the work of social workers and the education of social work students. Field placements are a significant part of social work education, but during the pandemic they were cut short and most teachings moved online. The current mixed methods study examined the effects of social work education on social work students' empathy and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic on the island of Ireland. A matched sample of forty-nine students completed an online survey at the start (T1) of their degree and at the end (T2). A further 229 students who only completed the T1 survey were compared to 70 others who only completed the T2 survey. The results showed improved resilience in the cohort comparison. There were no differences in empathy in the matched sample nor between the cohorts. Thematic analysis of students' narratives showed that they found the switch to online learning difficult, with some reporting negative impacts on their mental health and the abrupt ending of placements impacting their feelings of preparedness for practice. Implications of this study and future research areas are discussed. In this article, we examined the possible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education of social work students. The data come from a wider study, in which social work students at six universities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland completed an online survey. Relevant to the current article were questions about resilience, empathy and how the students' education was impacted by the pandemic. Forty-nine students completed the survey twice: at the start of their education and at the end. This was our matched sample. A further 229 students only completed the survey at the start of their degree and 70 students only completed it at the end of their degree. We compared these two cohorts of students separately from the matched sample. We found that (i) the cohort of final year students was more resilient than the cohort of the first year students;(ii) there were no differences in empathy either in the matched sample or between the cohorts from the beginning to the end of their training;and (iii) students reported that the move towards online learning negatively impacted their education.

Implementing Systematic Screening Driven by Quality Improvement Education (QIE) for Atrial Fibrillation during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Insight from Primary Care Setting in the United States

Background: Asymptomatic patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) pose challenges to diagnosis. Early diagnosis can reduce morbidity and mortality. Systematic screening in primary care may result in early intervention. Objectives: We sought to examine the implementation outcomes of a systematic, team-based quality improvement education (QIE) intervention for AF screening in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: QIE intervention was implemented in academic-based (n=4) and community-based (n=2) practices to address COVID-19 challenges. Surveys administered by site identified existing approaches and provider teams developed screening protocol based on targeted education, deploying a mobile ECG device (Kardiamobile™). Patient charts were reviewed (Dec 2020-May 2021) to determine eligibility, i.e., patients aged 65-74 (with prior stroke/TIA or two other risk factors) or aged ≥75 (with one other risk factor) without prior AF. Patient EHR data were examined for demographic/clinical data and screening outcome. Provider interviews (n=12) and validation from representative patients (n=2) accounted for sustainability of outcomes. Results: A total of 1,221 patients were evaluated for AF risk, with 408 eligible for screening. Of these, 277 (68%) were female and CHA2DS2-VASc varied-score=3 (45%);score=4 (24%);score=5+ (31%). Patients (n=7;2%) who screened positive for AF were referred or started on anticoagulation, like other primary care studies. Figure 1 shows how systematic screening was re-imagined and implemented Satisfaction and engagement increased among providers and patients-attributed, in part, to benefits of team-based planning and targeted education. Conclusion: An AF screening program was adapted to improve patient care despite COVID-19 related challenges. A QIE toolkit was launched to assist primary care practices with implementing streamlined, sustainable, and patient-engaging strategies to reduce stroke.

Mental well-being and quality of working life in UK social workers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A propensity score matching study

Social work, like many other health and social care services has been overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article compares the differences of mental well-being and work-related quality of life (WRQoL) for UK social workers before and during the pandemic. Mental well-being and WRQoL were better during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 than prior to the pandemic in 2018. The findings of this study suggest that during the highpoint of the pandemic other factors such as increased support to changes in working practices may be responsible for this improvement. During the COVID-19 pandemic interest into its potential impact on mental well-being has intensified. Within the social care sector, the pandemic has increased job demands and prolonged stress taking a disproportionate toll on the workforce, particularly social workers. This article compares the mental well-being and quality of working life of social workers in the United Kingdom (UK) before and during the pandemic. Data were collected in 2018 (N = 1,195) and 2020 (N = 1,024) using two cross-sectional surveys. To account for the differences between the datasets, propensity score matching was employed prior to effect estimation, utilising demographic and work-related variables common to both datasets. The differences between the two time-points were estimated using multiple regressions. Both mental well-being and quality of working life were significantly higher during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compared to 2018. This suggests that during the highpoint of the pandemic in the UK, increased support, and changes to working practices, such as reprioritisation of work and other initiatives, may be responsible for increased mental well-being and quality of working life. While acknowledging the known pressures on UK social workers during the COVID-19 pandemic this evidence suggests a mixed picture of the pandemic with lessons for managers and employers.