Inviolatta Chiteka
Social Worker/Administrator, Restore Health Centre, Zimbabwe
Overview of role
My primary role is to ensure that the patients’ needs are met and to provide counseling to children, adults and families, which includes pre-procedure and grief counseling. I also provide referral to other public /community facilities, coordinate and communicate with the client’s family, and ensure that the clients rights are upheld.
Motivation
While carrying out administrative duties in the health centre, I realized there was a gap in ensuring that all the patients’ needs were met. Doctors and nurses mainly concentrate on physical healing, but people have the social and psychological needs that contribute towards their ability to heal. So, I started to slowly introduce pre-procedure counseling to parents of children undergoing surgery.
Training/Education
I have a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Zimbabwe. I have also received on-the-job training to understand medical procedures and how to work with patients.
Most rewarding aspects of job?
The most rewarding aspect of my job is the satisfaction that comes with seeing people overcome their illnesses and take charge of their lives again.
Importance of social service workers in health facilities
Besides the physical ailments that are presented to the doctors there are a lot of other issues patients are dealing with in their lives. These must be addressed to ensure the complete well-being of the individual. In our country, people often face economic challenges, lack of employment opportunities, family problems and other personal problems that affect their health. Having social services workers in health institutions helps provide ‘complete care’ to each patient.
