What I Define as Professionalism in Social Work: My Experience

Beginning the first semester of graduate school during a worldwide pandemic was challenging. There was a time or two that I asked myself if pursuing a degree right now was worth it in addition to the pandemic stress that the world is currently experiencing. Each week I chose to carry on, and I am pleased that I did. This semester provided a unique opportunity to strengthen my resiliency skills. Resiliency is a skill that I know to be essential to any helping profession, including the social work profession. I have always found myself drawn to the helping professions, and after completing this course, I could not be more confident that I am right where I am supposed to be. My intention here is to write about the role of professionalism in social work, as this essay will be about my learning experience in a social work course.

Many of the privileges that we enjoy today exist because of social workers and other justice advocates fighting for human rights and social justice including my right to vote as a woman and my best friend being able to marry his partner. I felt inspired while learning about the history of social work, especially the Settlement House Movement, and how Jane Addams and the settlement house workers collaborated with others in their community to create positive social change. Before I learned about the differences between the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work, I didn't realize that regardless of what level you work in, you need to consider how your client relates to each level. I learned that being a professional social worker requires the ability to view situations from a person-in-environment perspective because a person's environment has a lot of influence on how they function within their lives.

Learning about the different social work practice levels and how they all connect with one another was beneficial because it gave me a new perspective to apply to my current community mental health role. Using a person-in-environment approach can improve my critical thinking skills and is good practice for identifying what is missing or present in a person's life that may be harming their well-being. In social work, the type of change you create depends on the practice level you work in, but I realize that we should be mindful that a positive change at any level makes an impact.

As I reflect on my learnings, I can see the ripple effect that professional social workers can have on the world and why understanding how to approach social problems from all levels of practice is so vital. I realized that by helping individuals and families function better, communities have a better chance of improving their functioning, ultimately leading to significant changes in society. I did not assume that becoming a professional social worker would be simple or easy coming into this class. Still, I was surprised to learn that so many different skills are needed to be a successful social worker.

Throughout the semester, many things helped shape my understanding of what it means to be a professional social worker. Thus far, my biggest takeaway has been that being a social worker is so much more than a drive to help others. That is not to say that social workers don't wish to make the world a better place, because we do. What I mean is that the requirements to practice social work professionally involve much more than empathy. Social workers want to support people in creating changes in their lives, but we also need to remain mindful that we cannot change others. We can only empower them to change themselves, and being able to do this well requires training, practice, and a unique skill set. For example, every client and situation will be different, and social workers need to be trained in multiple interventions and understand how to decide what intervention is appropriate to use. It is certainly not a one size fits all approach in social work.

The code of ethics has impacted my understanding of what it means to be a professional social worker the most. The mission statement beautifully explains why we choose to study social work. The code of ethics states, 'The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.' (NASW, 2017). The mission statement represents the heart of the profession. To put it simply, social workers strive to make the world a better place. We are agents of change. We see the inequalities in the world and address them for the benefit of the collective. I was familiar with the mission statement before starting graduate school, but I wasn't aware that social workers must adhere to so many different ethical principles and standards. I recognized that the values outlined in the code of ethics are things that I already value as a human being. Familiarizing myself with the code of ethics allowed me to recognize the privilege of serving others in this field and its immense responsibility. I understand the code of ethics as an essential document that guides us as social workers, but it is not an answer key to every question or dilemma we will encounter. Being a professional social worker means being comfortable with the complexity of the human condition and supporting people from many different walks of life without judgment. Social workers understand the value of positive human relationships and their impact on a person, a community, and the world at large.

Professionalism in the field of social work requires constant mindfulness and self-awareness. We are all human with our own unique experiences and biases that we must manage as we interact with others in the professional setting. Professionalism in social work also requires the ability to interact with people of many diverse backgrounds. Social workers must be culturally competent and intentionally work to master cultural humility. Boundaries are also vital to this profession. The relationships we form with clients are unique, and boundaries must be respected. It is ultimately the social workers' responsibility to set healthy boundaries and reinforce them as needed because some clients may come to you with a lack of boundaries. A social worker should also know their limitations in practice and not attempt to work outside of those limitations. As social workers, we will always be learning new things, even after we leave the profession.

Our professional decisions in social work are guided by the mission, core values, principles, and ethical standards in the code of ethics. The code of ethics is not an exhaustive list of ethical dilemmas, but it does provide the framework and steps needed to make moral decisions in practice. When faced with an ethical dilemma, social workers should always reference the code of ethics. The code of ethics is one of the most significant supports we will have as social workers, in addition to the wisdom of our supervisors and colleagues. Ethical decisions must be made according to the code of ethics, not our personal beliefs or feelings about a situation. If you are not finding that any of the rules are relevant to your dilemma, the next step is to look at the ethical principles. Alternatively, I learned about the 7 step decision-making model that can help practitioners make quick decisions, though some moral dilemmas will require collaboration with supervisors and colleagues. Because the field of social work can be unpredictable, and new ethical dilemmas arise often, social work requires a commitment to lifelong learning.

As I stated previously, this is a profession that requires continuous mindfulness and self-awareness. I've come to understand that the profession's values will override my personal values and beliefs. Many of my personal values do align with the professional values in the code of ethics. I understand that there will be times when I may have a difference in opinion about how to handle a situation or when I may not share the same beliefs as a client or colleague. That's why I find it fortunate that this profession has a code of ethics. Not every profession has one, and in a job with so many variables to consider, it is nice to have something concrete to refer back to in times of uncertainty.

Self-care is essential to social work because helping professions can be stressful. Social work is not a clock in and clock out type of career. Some roles require you to manage a caseload, including seeing clients and writing notes and updates. I know from my current position that documentation has deadlines, and this can add to work stress. Some roles may require long hours or crisis work, which can be mentally and emotionally draining. People depend on us, and we cannot be there for our clients if we are not taking care of ourselves. As social workers, we also have to remain mindful of vicarious trauma and how our exposure to trauma may impact us. By not prioritizing self-care, we run the risk of burnout and work-related mistakes.

To conclude, I learned that it is important to view our clients and their situations from every level of social work practice and that every level influences the other. As this is only an introductory course, I don't yet understand how to apply each level of practice. Knowing about the micro, mezzo, and macro practice levels' connections gave me a new perspective on how to look at a client's situation and evaluate what may be missing or present and how it influences their functioning. I had a lightbulb moment when I realized that the work we do with individuals could create positive change on a community level; therefore, a positive change in a community can lead to a more considerable impact on society. It got me thinking about policy workers in the field and if they feel that their work is more important than working at the micro-level. I believe that every level is essential and deserves attention. All of my experience so far has been with individuals and families. In light of my learning, I plan to learn more about the macro-level of social work. I find it very moving that social workers can create change on such a large scale, and I can't deny that it would be an amazing experience to be able to contribute and be a part of a change at that level.