How do social workers and physical therapists collaborate effectively?

While social workers and physical therapists carry out very different roles, there are times when these professionals work together in harmony to benefit their patients and clients. This article explores situations where they can use collaborative synergy to help others more effectively.

What does a social worker do?

The job of a social worker is to find ways of helping people in the community deal with the issues in their lives. This is achieved in numerous ways, as they look for solutions to common problems such as unemployment and abuse.

Social workers cover a range of settings, including schools and healthcare environments, offering their services to the full community. It is becoming an increasingly important role too, with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting a faster-than-average increase of 7% in the next few years.

As a result of the increasing demand, the social worker job outlook in the coming years is looking positive. For those individuals that are interested in becoming social workers, they should consider obtaining formal qualifications by completing a Master of Social Work (MSW) certification online. The MSW degree at Keuka College, for example, offers students all they need to get started in this career. The three-year program can fit around work, family, or other commitments, and offers online access to all the coursework. Keuka College also offers field placement opportunities to help students learn skills hands-on.

Where will you go once you’re certified? There are 49 states students can work in, with Rhode Island at the top of the list because it’s one of the best-paying states for social workers. If you decide to study for this role your next step is to check how to get a licence to work in the state you choose.

What does a physical therapist do?

Physical therapists, also known as physiotherapists, help people who have suffered illness or injury in their recovery or pain management plan. Their patients typically have restricted mobility or an inability to carry out certain, basic tasks independently. For example, a patient who can only walk with difficulty or lacks the strength for day-to-day activities will be referred to a physical therapist.

The range of settings for physical therapists is equally wide, with some working in private clinics or hospitals. Many physical therapists work with older people who are suffering from mobility issues, with much of their work conducted in care homes for the elderly. Some therapists specialize in sports injuries, where they aim to help athletes recover from injury and start competing again as quickly as possible.

Massage, manipulation, and exercises are some of the techniques they use with special equipment. This is another fast-growing sector with an impressive average salary close to $100,000 in the US. Every physical therapist operating in the US must be qualified with a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree and licensed to work in their chosen state.

How do they work together?

While these roles are very different, they often have a reasonably high degree of crossover that must be considered. For example, social workers and physical therapists may work in the same institutions and may deal with the same patients. If they don’t work together and respect each other’s input, these situations could get messy and it is the client who could suffer in the long run.

These roles can also work together on a referral basis. For example, when a social worker is taking the lead in looking after a client’s needs, they may feel the need to work with other experts to give the patient all the help required. In this situation, it is not unusual for a social worker to refer them to a physical therapist.

This could work well in the case of a patient who has been receiving treatment for a serious medical condition and is now being discharged. If they have some mobility issues following the treatment, the lead social worker may consider that they will need physical therapy sessions to cope with living at home.

The same could work in reverse, with a physical therapist referring one of their patients to a social worker. This can happen in situations where they discover that a patient has some sort of non-physical problem in their life. Maybe while treating someone for an injury, they might discover that they are going through financial hardship or have no one to help them at home.

To collaborate effectively, both roles need to understand and respect each other. This gives a solid base for finding the perfect approach to helping the people who rely on them in the most efficient and trouble-free way possible.

What are the benefits of working together?

By working as a team, these professionals can promote holistic wellbeing among their shared patients. With the strengths and expertise from both roles, they can address both the emotional and physical needs of their patients.

The professionals who carry out these roles are both interested in the same thing; getting the most favorable outcome to help their patient have a more comfortable life. However, both roles involve different knowledge and skills, so they often rely on one another to carry out the tasks needed to meet this goal. This is why teamwork is one of the core skills needed in the healthcare industry.

Good teamwork is ultimately beneficial for their patients, who can rely on two different professionals looking at the issues in their lives from different angles and with the benefit of unique skill sets. It is also a way for healthcare professionals to share the responsibility of challenging cases and give these workers the chance to play their part in an impressive support system.

Breaking down the barriers between healthcare areas

Perhaps the most important point to take away is that it is possible to break down the barriers that sometimes exist between different areas of patient care.

Breaking down these barriers and sharing responsibility leads to improved access to resources and a variety of tools to help professionals look after patients better. As social workers and physical therapists build strong working relationships, they are likely to feel more confident about referring or receiving referrals, which is good news for the patients who rely on them.