Using qualitative exploratory research, we documented the experiences of 90 undergraduate and graduate students on how online education was affecting their learning during the pandemic. Data was collected from School of Social Work students at a northeastern public university in the United States. The participants were unsatisfied with the unexpected disruption to online education. However, they had adjusted to digital learning, and stated that they would rather have subpar education than put self and others in danger due to COVID-19. The major challenges that the students encountered are: (a) struggle with online education, (b) difficulty connecting with instructors, (c) lack of motivation, (d) losses, (e) difficulty accessing other learning resources, and (f) unsafe/inaccessible home environment. Recommendations are provided for instructors and administrators to support students in these challenging times.
Junior social work faculty members face numerous challenges in adapting to their roles and preparing for continued work in academia. Many of these challenges center around the tasks of teaching and advising. Peer-led, mutual support groups offer an accessible and effective approach to facilitating growth. Such groups offer support that addresses several common challenges facing new faculty, primarily by helping to combat isolation, and facilitate group attachment. The article draws from literature on mutual aid groups; and provides several examples illustrative of group processes from a model version of the group.
Psychiatric nurses in inpatient settings provide person-centered and relationship-based care to persons in acute distress from behavioral health and substance use problems. The emotional labor of this highly interpersonal care is further complicated by the high rates of historical trauma among this population. This article summarizes the impact of trauma on patients in acute psychiatric settings, the impact of challenging organizational contexts and patient distress on nurse burnout, and proposes four strategies for promoting trauma-informed care by inpatient psychiatric nurses including a) promoting education of nurses on the impacts of trauma, b) building support among nurse colleagues, c) emphasizing clinical skills in coping with patient distress, and d) implementing mindfulness skills as a core coping strategy for nurses for managing their reactions to patient distress. Trauma-inforced care holds patient safety as primary to clinical effectiveness and is also crucial for promoting supportive patient-nurse relationships. As such, trauma-informed care has the potential to combat nurse burnout and improve outcomes for patients.
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