Emotions, Feelings, and Experiences of Social Workers While Attending to Vulnerable Groups: A Qualitative Approach

Ruiz-Fernández, María Dolores; Ortiz-Amo, Rocío; Andina-Díaz, Elena; Fernández-Medina, Isabel María; Hernández-Padilla, José Manuel; Fernández-Sola, Cayetano; Ortega-Galán, Ángela María

doi:10.3390/healthcare9010087

Open AccessArticle

Emotions, Feelings, and Experiences of Social Workers While Attending to Vulnerable Groups: A Qualitative Approach

by

María Dolores Ruiz-Fernández

¹

,

Rocío Ortiz-Amo

¹

,

Elena Andina-Díaz

^2,3,4,*

,

Isabel María Fernández-Medina

^1,*

,

José Manuel Hernández-Padilla

^1,5

,

Cayetano Fernández-Sola

^1,6

and

Ángela María Ortega-Galán

⁷

¹

Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain

²

Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of León, 24071 León, Spain

³

SALBIS Research Group, University of León, 24071 León, Spain

⁴

EYCC Research Group, University of Alicante, 03690 Alicante, Spain

⁵

Adult, Child and Midwifery Department, School of Health and Education, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK

⁶

Faculty of Health Sciences, University Autónoma of Chile, Temuco 3580000, Chile

⁷

Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Healthcare 2021, 9(1), 87; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9010087

Submission received: 28 December 2020 / Revised: 12 January 2021 / Accepted: 14 January 2021 / Published: 17 January 2021

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Qualitative Health Research Applied to Clinical and Educational Settings)

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Abstract

Social workers in the community setting are in constant contact with the suffering experienced by the most vulnerable individual. Social interventions are complex and affect social workers’ emotional well-being. The aim of this study was to identify the emotions, feelings, and experiences social workers have while attending to individuals in situations of vulnerability and hardship. A qualitative methodology based on hermeneutic phenomenology was used. Six interviews and two focus group sessions were conducted with social workers from the community social services and health services of the Andalusian Public Health System in the province of Almería (Spain). Atlas.ti 8.0 software was used for discourse analysis. The professionals highlighted the vulnerability of certain groups, such as the elderly and minors, people with serious mental problems, and people with scarce or no economic resources. Daily contact with situations of suffering generates a variety of feelings and emotions (anger, sadness, fear, concern). Therefore, more attention should be paid to working with the emotions of social workers who are exposed to tense and threatening situations. Peer support, talking, and discussions of experiences are pointed out as relevant by all social workers. Receiving training and support (in formal settings) in order to learn how to deal with vulnerable groups could be positive for their work and their professional and personal quality of life.

Keywords: social worker; vulnerability; social and health care setting; qualitative research

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MDPI and ACS Style

Ruiz-Fernández, M.D.; Ortiz-Amo, R.; Andina-Díaz, E.; Fernández-Medina, I.M.; Hernández-Padilla, J.M.; Fernández-Sola, C.; Ortega-Galán, Á.M. Emotions, Feelings, and Experiences of Social Workers While Attending to Vulnerable Groups: A Qualitative Approach. Healthcare 2021, 9, 87. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9010087

AMA Style

Ruiz-Fernández MD, Ortiz-Amo R, Andina-Díaz E, Fernández-Medina IM, Hernández-Padilla JM, Fernández-Sola C, Ortega-Galán ÁM. Emotions, Feelings, and Experiences of Social Workers While Attending to Vulnerable Groups: A Qualitative Approach. Healthcare. 2021; 9(1):87. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9010087

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ruiz-Fernández, María Dolores, Rocío Ortiz-Amo, Elena Andina-Díaz, Isabel María Fernández-Medina, José Manuel Hernández-Padilla, Cayetano Fernández-Sola, and Ángela María Ortega-Galán. 2021. "Emotions, Feelings, and Experiences of Social Workers While Attending to Vulnerable Groups: A Qualitative Approach" Healthcare 9, no. 1: 87. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9010087

APA Style

Ruiz-Fernández, M. D., Ortiz-Amo, R., Andina-Díaz, E., Fernández-Medina, I. M., Hernández-Padilla, J. M., Fernández-Sola, C., & Ortega-Galán, Á. M. (2021). Emotions, Feelings, and Experiences of Social Workers While Attending to Vulnerable Groups: A Qualitative Approach. Healthcare, 9(1), 87. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9010087

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Emotions, Feelings, and Experiences of Social Workers While Attending to Vulnerable Groups: A Qualitative Approach

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