AN OFF-SITE ORIENTATION PROGRAM FOR MEDICAL SOCIAL-WORKERS

The health care system is a complex and demanding environment requirin g an acculturation process for all those who provide services under it s aegis. Social workers new to a medical setting, are faced with diffi culties relating to all aspects of their role: bureaucratic, professio nal and clinical. In an attempt to ease their entry into the health ca re system, five social work administrators, employed by the largest HM O in Israel, structured and facilitated an off-site orientation progra m for new workers. A core group of 22 social workers participated in t he program, and in the final session, the participants evaluated the c ourse verbally and in an anonymous closed questionnaire. Feedback was mixed and included the participants dissatisfaction with the reduction of the experiential component of the sessions.