Socialinių darbuotojų sprendimų priėmimo proceso ypatumai socialinės globos namuose

LTPagal Statistikos departamento (2023) duomenis, 2022 m. asmenų, atvykusių į globos įstaigas ir savarankiško gyvenimo namus, skaičius išaugo 51 proc. nuo 2018 m., rodant nuolatinį socialinių paslaugų poreikį. Šis tyrimas siekia atskleisti socialinių darbuotojų sprendimų priėmimo proceso ypatumus socialinės globos namuose. Tyrimo aktualumas grindžiamas poreikiu prisitaikyti prie augančio globos namų gyventojų skaičiaus ir užtikrinti aukštą paslaugų kokybę. Problema – kokie yra socialinių darbuotojų sprendimų priėmimo proceso ypatumai socialinės globos namuose? Tyrimo metodai apima mokslinės literatūros analizę, pusiau struktūruotus interviu ir kokybinę turinio analizę. Tyrimo metu apklausti septyni socialiniai darbuotojai, dirbantys globos namuose. Gauti rezultatai parodė, kad sprendimų priėmimo procesas yra daugialypis, reikalaujantis asmeninių ir situacinių veiksnių integracijos. Asmeniniai veiksniai apima vertybes, kompetenciją, profesionalumą, žinias, įgūdžius ir konfidencialumą. Situaciniai veiksniai apima ryšį ir bendradarbiavimą su klientu, klientų poreikius ir unikalumą bei diskusijų laisvę. Tyrimo rezultatai taip pat parodė, kad socialiniai darbuotojai susiduria su iššūkiais - motyvacijos stoka, artimųjų pasyvumu, laiko trūkumu ir pasitikėjimo įgijimo sunkumais. Raktiniai žodžiai: sprendimų priėmimo procesas; sprendimai socialinės globos namuose.

ENAccording to the Department of Statistics (2023), the number of individuals admitted to residential care homes and independent living homes for adults in 2022 was 2,407, representing a 51% increase from 2018. This data indicates a continuing need for social services in care homes and the necessity of making effective decisions during service provision. With the growing number of adults entering care homes, understanding the decision-making process becomes crucial to adapt to changing demographic needs. Decision-making in residential care homes is a complex process that involves assessing and meeting residents' health, psychological, and social needs. Social workers make decisions about individual care plans, therapeutic interventions, and daily activities, considering residents' physical health, mental well-being, and overall quality of life (Ebsen, 2018). These decisions often require balancing individual needs with group dynamics (Lee, Splawa-Neyman & McDermott, 2022), managing resources (Vis & Fossum, 2015), addressing ethical issues (Úriz Pemán et al., 2017), and collaborating with healthcare professionals, nurses, administrative staff (Gallagher, Smith, Hardy & Wilkinson, 2012), and residents' families (Kaner, 2014). The decision-making process directly impacts residents' well-being and quality of life (Whittaker, 2018), while presenting various challenges such as complex resident needs, limited resources, balancing individual and group needs, and providing emotional support (Rollins, 2020; Clarke & Westmore, 2022). Studying the characteristics of the decision-making process in residential care homes is essential to improve the overall quality of social care, ensure ethical and effective practices, optimize resources, and prepare for future challenges.This research benefits residents and aids social workers and administrators in providing the best possible care. The research problem focuses on the characteristics of the decision-making process of social workers in residential care homes. The objectives of this study include: (1) discussing the significance of decision-making in residential care homes; (2) investigating the characteristics of the decision-making process of social workers in these settings. Methods used include scientific literature analysis and qualitative research through semi-structured interviews and qualitative content analysis. Key findings reveal that decision-making in residential care homes involves personal and situational factors, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, diversity of decisions, and creativity. Personal factors include the social worker's values, competence, professionalism, knowledge, and confidentiality, while situational factors highlight the importance of relationships and collaboration with clients, recognizing clients' needs and uniqueness, and allowing for discussion and deliberation. Challenges identified include client motivation and involvement, lack of time, gaining client trust, and the passive involvement of family members.