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Most Social Workers work 40 hours per week; however, some occasionally work evenings and weekends to meet with clients, attend community meetings, and handle emergencies. Some, particularly in nonprofit agencies, work part time.
The LCSW will provide social work coverage to the Emergency Department for the evening and night shifts.
What does a social workers job involve?
Social workers provide advice, support and resources to individuals and families to help them solve their problems. Social workers work with specific groups of clients, including children, the elderly and families in crisis, and help them to solve the problems they’re facing.
Is social work a long hour?
Social workers spend just 15% of their working week face-to-face with service users, a survey has revealed. They are working an average of 45.9 hours per week – much higher than the average of 37.2 hours they are contracted to work, the research found.
Many social work jobs operate outside of the traditional 9-5 Monday-Friday business hours. Those that do have a typical contract may find their work extending beyond these hours. This can cause problems with balancing work and personal life.
As a traveling social worker, your job is to travel to each assignment area and provide personalized care, mental health services, and other help as needed. Traveling social workers often focus on children or families with children, including those in foster care, but this isn’t universal.
How stressful is social work?
Social workers encounter a wide range of complex challenges in their work with clients and communities. These job demands can factor into risk for burnout, defined as “a syndrome with dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced feelings of personal accomplishment” (Lloyd et al., 2002).
Why being a social worker is hard?
Being a social worker involves heavy amounts of emotional labor and going the extra mile with often limited resources to help patients. Keep an eye on your energy level and monitor your own physical and mental health carefully, and when and where you need to, step away for a time to recharge.