• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.201-230
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• 2013

The study attempted to analyze the experiences concerning professional identities of social workers working in hospice palliative care(HPC) multidisciplinary team by adopting ground theory method. The data were drawn from in-depth interviews with 11 social workers working in HPC teams for more than a year. As a result of the study, 166 concepts, 21 themes and 10 categories were presented. The core theme was identified as "growing up as a professional recognized by clients and other team members". The characteristics of social work and those of hospital setting systematic barriers and problems of the governmental support program worked as external conditions. The conflicts and confusions in social workers' professional identities were brought about as results of the conditions while successful team and the characteristics of individual setting promoted to get over the problems. The social workers experienced professional rewards and personal growth from hospice practices by utilizing diverse strategies. It was proposed that social workers should make efforts to be recognized as an essential profession in HPC multidisciplinary teams together with resolving the institutional problems such as regulations on qualifications of HPC social worker, professional education and governmental supports to improve work conditions.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was to identify the role of general hospice palliative nurse through job analysis (duties, task, and task elements). Methods: The sample consisted of 136 nurses or professors who were performing duties related to hospice care areas in Korea. A survey method was used, and the questionnaire included frequencies, criticality, and difficulties of task elements in job description by the DACUM method. Descriptive statistics were performed by using SPSS WIN 17.0. Results: The job description of general hospice palliative nurse was identified 8 duties, 36 tasks, and 137 task elements. As for the 8 duties, the average scores of frequency, criticality, and difficulty were 2.94, 3.66, and 2.80, respectively. The role of ‘pain assessment’ was the most important task element among frequency and criticality. The lowest score at the frequency and criticality were ‘manage public finance’ and ‘collect datum through diagnostic test & lab', respectively. Furthermore, the role of 'identify spiritual needs of patients and family' was the most difficult task, whereas the role of 'manage documents and information' was the least. Conclusion: In this study, we could recognize the reality of general hospice palliative nurse's performances. For general hospice palliative nurse, therefore, concrete practice guide lines of psychosocial and spiritual care, communication skills, and bereavement care with qualifying system are critically needed.