Recorded presentation

Wynne R. Waugaman, PhD, RN, Janet U. Schneiderman, PhD, RN, and Marilyn Flynn, PhD, MSW. School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Montgomery Ross Fisher Room 223, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0411, 213-740-4705, waugaman@usc.edu

The current public health and social welfare system serves millions of clients each year. Case management services are a vital part of the systems serving these clients in public and private settings including HMOs. In nearly every instance both a nurse and a social worker are assigned to each case because each professional, in his/her own right, may not possess the expertise to coordinate and oversee the myriad of care required. The USC School of Social Work has developed a specialized MSW degree with a certificate in case management for baccalaureate prepared registered nurses to become nurse social work practitioners. This transdisciplinary education provides professionals with unique talents that facilitate movement across disciplinary borders, a serious roadblock to efficiently navigate the current health and social welfare system. Experts from community agencies and institutions were convened to brainstorm about the gaps in the current system and how the future would be better served by an interdisciplinary professional. Practice, academic and field guidelines were formulated to build on the nursing background of health case management and leadership while grounding students in the theory and practice of social work. Initially objections were raised from nurses and social workers about the overlap of job functions and the loss of professional identity, but these were resolved through discussion. The nurse social work practitioner will be able to speak in both the world of social work and health and will be instrumental in interdisciplinary team management and essential for the health and social welfare of populations.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Describe the planning process for development of the nurse social work practitioner role.
• 2. Identify potential job opportunities in private and public sectors for nurse social work practitioner.
• 3. Differentiate educational components of the specialized MSW curriculum from the traditional MSW curriculum.

Keywords: Career Development, Education

Related Web page: www.usc.edu/dept/socialwork/academic/NursePractitionerprogram.php

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation