Success!

I just found out this morning that I will be doing my second practicum placement at the St. Elizabeth Hospice: http://www.ste.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=182. I am thrilled! I met with my field instructor this morning and she is absolutely wonderful and is excited to have another student. I will be mostly shadowing for the next few weeks and learning the ropes, but she wants me to have a caseload by next semester. She hopes that I will be operating independently by January.

For those of you who aren't familiar with what a social worker does at a Hospice, here's the run-down. When a physician recommends Hospice to an individual, the social worker is the first person on the scene at their home. The social worker does a home visit and initial assessment of what the individual and family needs to live comfortably in their home. Then the social worker will visit the family once a week for four-six weeks, or as the family requests. Social workers also provide grief and bereavement counseling for the individual and/or family members. Social workers coordinate any other services that need to be provided for the individual and family member.

It's so exciting to think that by next semester I'll be able to work independently and have my own clients! It makes all the schooling worthwhile. =)

Also--most of you probably know this already, but Chad got an offer from Procter and Gamble to work full time after he finishes his degree. We're thrilled with the offer, and feel totally blessed to have one considering the economic situation of our country. We haven't committed yet and Chad still wants to explore a few other options, but we'll have a decision made by November. Way to go, Chad!