COVID-19 and Beyond: A Prototype for Remote/Virtual Social Work Field Placement

Area of Science:

• Medical Social Work
• Oncology Social Work Education
• Virtual Learning Modalities

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional field placements for social work interns in oncology settings.
• Social distancing mandates prevented interns from completing in-person training, necessitating alternative educational strategies.
• Remote work was permitted for staff but not interns, highlighting the need for adapted intern programming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To delineate the redesign of an oncology social work internship program using remote and virtual methods.
• To describe a hybrid approach incorporating simulated clinical interactions for skill development.
• To provide guidelines and explore supervision strategies within a virtual learning environment.

Main Methods:

• Redesigned the field placement using virtual modalities, including phone and videoconferencing.
• Developed simulated clinical interactions based on illness trajectory points to target specific competencies.
• Incorporated case examples for developing clinical skills, critical thinking, and professional responsibilities.
• Addressed individual and group supervision, acknowledging the unique pandemic context.

Main Results:

• Successfully adapted the oncology social work internship to a virtual format, meeting educational requirements.
• Simulated interactions facilitated the development of clinical skills and critical thinking in interns.
• Virtual programming provided a structured termination from the internship program.
• Identified advantages of virtual learning for both interns and supervisors.

Conclusions:

• Virtual and remote modalities offer an innovative and effective model for oncology social work internships.
• This adapted approach can enhance social work intern education in various healthcare settings, even during crises.
• The program redesign demonstrates flexibility and creativity in overcoming training barriers.
• Virtual learning presents unique benefits that can complement traditional in-person training.