title: Social work in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) System: rewards, challenges, roles and interventions.
abstract: For the social worker in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) System, numerous challenges are faced and met while serving the nation's Veterans. As part of the multidisciplinary team, social workers perform a variety of tasks and function in diverse roles. The qualitative survey research reported in this article sought to detail what social workers identified about the impact and rewards of their work and what they saw as the challenges and frustrations. In addition the social workers were asked to clarify their role with the patient and the family. Intervention strategies used in the course of the social workers interaction with the Veterans was also ascertained.
authors.affiliation: Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University, New York, New York, USA. beder@yu.edu
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beder
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Postiglione
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024382:Professional Role; D012201:Reward; D012947:Social Work / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration*