"The Yo-Yo Effect": U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Social Workers' Experiences with Job Flexibility during the Pandemic.

Social work turnover from the emotional overload of providing care during the pandemic has created staff shortages and exposed many gaps in service delivery. Those social workers who sustained employment during this pandemic are asked to take on flexible/additional roles to fill in those gaps in services to their most vulnerable clients. This qualitative study (N = 12) of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) inpatient social workers at two sites across the country assesses their experiences of taking on additional roles at their respective VA facility. Three research questions were addressed to the participants: (1) Describe your roles and responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) How did those responsibilities change/evolve over time? and (3) Did you receive training for your new roles or tasks? Thematic analysis revealed six themes that would facilitate effectiveness and continuity of care: (1) recognizing insufficient training to handle a pandemic, (2) meeting the demand for care, (3) responding to unexpected aspects of flexibility, (4) adjusting to new roles over time, (5) adaptation and support, and (6) additional resources to simplify efforts. With COVID rates stabilizing across much of the United States, now is the time to implement trainings and education about job flexibility in the future instance of a pandemic.

Pandemic preparedness and response-related content to integrate into the msw curricula: Implications for provider burnout

The COVID-19 pandemic, a first in many generations disaster, has highlighted gaps globally among graduated social work providers. This qualitative study of (N = 12) inpatient social workers who provided care during the pandemic, strives to suggest specific disaster-related content to inform the MSW curricula. Thematic analysis suggested including: 1) self-care in a prolonged disaster;2) responding to nuances of the job;3) expansion and integration of practicum specialties;4) preparing for the effects of another pandemic;5) advocating for yourself;and 6) the public's view of social workers. Findings could potentially inform the content that is taught to MSW students post-pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 vaccine adoption and hesitancy among older Veterans.

BACKGROUND: Older adults are particularly at risk for severe illness or death from COVID-19. Accordingly, the Veterans Health Administration (VA) has prioritized this population group in its COVID-19 vaccination strategy. This study examines the receptivity of Veterans enrolled in the VA's Geriatric Patient Aligned Care Team (GeriPACT) to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. GeriPACT is an outpatient primary care program that utilizes multi-disciplinary teams to provide health services to older Veterans. METHODS: We conducted semistructured interviews with 42 GeriPACT-enrolled Veterans from five states. Participants were asked to identify barriers to vaccine acceptance. We gathered data from January-March 2021 and analyzed them using qualitative methods. RESULTS: Both White and African American GeriPACT Veterans had minimal vaccine hesitancy towards the COVID-19 vaccine. On-line registration and ineligibility of a spouse/caregiver for vaccination were primary barriers to early vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: As the first wave of early adopters of the COVID-19 vaccination effort nears completion, targeted strategies are needed to understand and respond to vaccine hesitancy to lower the risk of subsequent waves of infections. The 2021 SAVE LIVES Act, begins to address identified vaccination barriers by permitting vaccination of Veteran spouses and caregivers, but consideration must be given to creating alternatives to on-line registration and allowing spouses and caregivers to register for appointments together.

Emotional preparedness as a mechanism to improve provider morale during the pandemic

Turnover is already a major concern among social workers;however, the recent pandemic has elevated these concerns because of the emotional burden associated with this once in a lifetime disaster that is prolonged and unpredictable. Thoughts of leaving the field may reduce their life satisfaction and sense of purpose, thereby reducing morale and leading to deteriorations in the provider's physical and/or mental health, and ultimately job turnover. There is currently a gap in the field of how social workers can be emotionally prepared during the pandemic. Through qualitative analytic coding and constant comparative methods of three case studies that reflect common situations encountered by social workers during the pandemic, the purpose of this article is to delineate 11 guidelines of being emotionally prepared from the cases that may be helpful in improving provider morale. In particular, the guidelines pertain to issues of liability, altering practice approaches, use of personal protective equipment, provider help-seeking, and racial, cultural or socioeconomic factors. Social workers, besides helping their clients, also support their health-care peers in disaster work. Because of this role, which takes on additional significance during periods of crisis, social workers need these guidelines to improve their morale and combat stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Social Work in Mental Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)