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Updated: Nov 11, 2025
Author Spotlight: A Multi-Depth Porcine Model for Comprehensive Study of Burn Injuries and Healing Processes
Published on: February 23, 2024
Social workers as members of burn care teams: A qualitative thematic analysis
Thereasa E Abrams1, Alison A Lloyd1, Mary L Held1
1University of Tennessee Knoxville, College of Social Work, Nashville, TN, United States.
Background:
Social workers on interprofessional teams contribute to treating the psychosocial sequelae of burn trauma patients in cooperation with many other burn-treatment team members. However, the roles and skills exercised by social workers can vary between burn units as well as the skills social work students are taught in their academic programs.
Methods:
A purposive sample of 13 burn unit social workers were interviewed online using semi-structured questions. This qualitative thematic analysis of data was conducted to identify how social workers perceive their roles, responsibilities, and knowledge as they relate to their work with patients and their families in a burn unit.
Results:
Skills, challenges and barriers to rehabilitation, and resources were identified during thematic analysis within and across participant data as factors social workers found to be important for their work in burn units.
Conclusion:
By expanding the body of knowledge about factors that impact social work care for burn patients, Social work academic programs may better understand how to prepare medical social work students for best practices in the care of burn-injured patients, survivors, and families at inpatient and community levels.
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