CARING FOR THE ORGANIZATION - SOCIAL-WORKERS AS FRONTLINE RISK MANAGERS IN NEONATAL INTENSIVE-CARE UNITS

Though both sociologists of the professions and social workers themsel ves would predict that social work will be concentrated where there is social ''trouble,'' neither can fully account for variations in the a llocation of social work and the mix of social work tasks we observed Using our research in neonatal intensive care units, we offer an accou nt of social work as organizationally based caring. We argue that soci al workers are interactional and legal shock absorbers, that they buff er their employing organizations' central processes and their most pow erful personnel from the disruptions of social variability, and that t hey protect the hospital from legal liability.