Thesis (MSc) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Social Work Department

Includes References (sheets 41-52)

ABSTRACT
Social workers have contributed to the health care system since the 20th century by helping the underprivileged, the elderly, and tuberculosis sufferers. While social work can bring knowledge and skills that healthcare organizations and institutions could use to benefit their patients, its significance in the healthcare industry is sometimes understated. healthcare social workers are tasked with the responsibility of managing
the emotional experiences of all individuals involved, in addition to the stress, weariness, and disputes that are typically associated with dealing with extremely complex illnesses, therefore, this research aims to identify the role of social workers in delivering health care services. This research employs a qualitative approach to carry out the study through an open-ended questionnaire by targeting social workers working within the Nigerian Healthcare sector. The use of open-ended questionnaire in this study will enable the identification of common themes and patterns. The questionnaire was divided into three sections comprising of 22 questions in total. The first section is the socio-demographic section, the section comprises of questions on the role of social workers in the healthcare settings while the third section comprises of questions on the challenges of social workers in the healthcare settings. A total of 37 respondents were involved in this study. From the result of the study, the roles of social workers in the Nigerian health sector were categorised in to three themes: Patient Support and Care Administration, Education and Advocacy and Case Identification and Procurement of clinical materials and other health aiding accessories. Challenges of the health workers in the Nigerian health sector were also categorised under three themes: Inadequate support from constituted authorities, Lack of coordination amongst medical professionals and Tribalism and Bullying. As more
Nigerians recognize the value of social workers, the significance of social work is rapidly growing. Both the healthcare industry and the government impede social workers' ability to perform their duties. Many employees lack the necessary skills, and sometimes even those with credentials lack a solid understanding of the fundamentals of their respective disciplines. Therefore, considering the numerous difficulties and
consequences of social work in Nigeria, there must be a policy agenda that prioritizes the improvement of welfare services for the country's citizens through supporting the development of social work and social workers in the country.
Keywords: Counselling, Healthcare, Qualitative, Social works.