A Day in the Life with a Hospice Social Worker
“In health care, the hospice team is truly a team. It’s necessary for us to draw on each other’s professional skills in order to provide the best resources. And here at Absolute, I love my team.”
For Carolyn Bujaucius, working in hospice is all about collaborating with others.
Part of her role includes supporting her team, “especially the nurses who are really the angels on the front line.” A lot of what she does isn’t taught in colleges or graduate schools. So, when something happens that she doesn’t know, a team member is there to help.
Carolyn has a background in counseling and has been a social worker for Absolute Hospice for two years, but has been in the field much longer, dating back to 2004.
Each day may include visiting with patients, calling families, helping to plan funerals or jumping into an emergency situation. She meets face-to-face with families, and when that’s not possible, she does her best to reach out in other ways. There are even some instances where a family may not want nor need Carolyn’s assistance, and she’s respectful about that.
“It’s hard to scale back because you want to fix things, but we find ways to be respectful - ready to provide the support that’s needed, and sometimes it’s just being present and listening.”
For her, the most challenging situations are finding the right words to say. But she reminds herself to just be human. Carolyn understands that both good and tough days are ahead - days filled with joy, and days filled with sorrow.