Pity or pedestal?: perceptions and practices of chronic disease and disability in hospital social work

Abstract

This practicum report details my experiences in hospital social work on two medical wards at a regional hospital in British Columbia, located outside the Lower Mainland. The practicum learning goals are framed around professional understanding of disability and chronic disease within the hospital environment. While the focus of the practicum was on developing my own social work experience, I have included my perceptions of the larger hospital system as it relates to people with disabilities with implications for social work practice noted. The medical and social models of disability will be used to provide a basis for understanding the practical experiences encountered in this work. This report and practicum do not include any research data, but rather focus on personal growth as a practitioner and awareness of the ways the medical system works.