THE PERCEPTION OF MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS BY OTHER STAFF OF FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, YENAGOA, BAYELSA STATE

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the perception of medical social workers by other staff of Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the objectives of the study are: to explore the nature of medical social work practice in Federal Medical Center Yenagoa; to highlight the role of social work practice in Federal Medical Center Yenagoa; to ascertain the perception of medical social workers by other staff or health workers in Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa and to identify the challenges faced by medical social workers in Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa. Three hundred and sixty-six respondents were selected from a population of two thousand, consisting of medical staff and medical social workers, focus group discussion were also held with the medical social workers. The study adopted the survey design which was used to gather data from a sample of 366 respondents, the data was analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The study established that prejudice, discrimination, perceived corruption and inadequate facilities are the major challenges of medical social workers in the facility studied. The study recommended that hospital industry in Nigeria should take cognizance of the roles of social workers in the management of disease and illness, as they are to take care of social determinants of disease and illness and that social medical workers in FMC Yenagoa should be well motivated in terms of financial and non-financial incentives in other to enhance them to work efficiently. This will not only enhance the morale of medical social workers but also improve the good working relationship among other medical personnel.