By Sylvia Akpan
The Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners, CI-SOWN, Cross River State Chapter held their annual state workshop and charged members to maintain professional standards.
The workshop held yesterday, Monday at the Medical Social Services Department (MSSD) seminar room at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) with the theme: Professionalism; the position of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, Calabar.
In the welcome address, Dr. Mrs. Otuanwan Eyoma, the Chief Host/HOD welcomed everyone into the workshop and solicited their cooperation while the workshop lasted.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Innocent Abang gave a vivid explanation of all there is to know about professionalism in a working environment.
“Professionalism is a personally held believe of a profession about their own conduct as members of that profession. It is simply defined as trust and expertise. Those are the two things that hold the core of professionalism. If trust is taken out of professionalism then it looses its old savor. The beauty of it is that you can be trusted, people believe in your capacity also having full expertise.
“Also if expertise is lost then professionalism is also lost. That is why these components are inseparable and form they form the foundation of professionalism.”
He further stated that “Professionalism is necessary that there is professional standard counsels and they have the seven responsibility of promoting professional standards.
“It is important that professional standard counsels are available and anybody who claims to be a professional must always adhere to the professional counsel standards.”
Also speaking, Mrs. Utibe Etobe, a Medical Social Worker in the medical social services department, gave a presentation on social work intervention process in clinical case management.
In her introduction, she disclosed that “Social work is traditionally seen as a helping career that seeks to support individuals, groups, and communities that are socially disadvantaged. The sole aim is to bring social change to them; and improve their social functioning.
“In a clinical setting, social workers are members of the therapeutic team saddled with the responsibility of identifying the social needs of the clients and families, and address their complex crises. The crises usually involve both psychological and environmental components and calls for a continuous learning by the social workers in the medical setting. The knowledge of disease conditions, signs and symptoms, essence of medications, and a possible prognosis is a good tool that is necessary for a clinical or medical social worker.”
Furthermore, she pointed out some things to note in clinical case management, benefits of case management, and ethical considerations in clinical case management among others.
Questions and comments were entertained and followed up with a review of the 2023 activities.
Social Worker, Mbono Essien gave a vote of thanks and lauded everyone for their efforts and prayed for grace to do more and the event was serenaded with music to entertain social workers for their excellent job.