Jackson County Hospital Case Summary

Introduction Jackson County Hospital is located in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Lisa Silver, a pediatric social worker, is assigned to a specialized unit designed to provide emergency services for children (). Lisa reports to Diane Hughes, supervisor of the hospital’s Social Work Department. The protagonist, Lisa, suspects Carol Davis, a social worker from Jackson County Division of Family Services (DFS), has transported a foster child to the hospital while under the influence of alcohol. Lisa and Diana report their concerns to Carol’s supervisor, Randy Burgess, who then consults with his supervisor, Dale Bailey, for guidance. Three days after the initial incident, Dale, Randy, Diane and Lisa meet to discuss the conflict regarding Carol. …show more content…
Their most prominent distinguishments include their numerous stand-alone residency and fellows programs, rotations for medical students, and national recognition from research on physicians’ roles in child abuse investigations (case). Due to the prestigious reputation of the hospital, it is even more critical the integrity of the hospital is not jeopardized by endangering a vulnerable child due to employee misconduct. For this reason, the external pressures of protecting the hospital's reputation are contributing factors to the guilt and responsibility Lisa is …show more content…
As a result, Lisa immediately regretted her decision of allowing Carol to drive with the child and is now feeling responsible for child endangerment. Additionally, Lisa recognizes Carol’s drinking could be an unhealthy coping mechanism developed as a result of secondary trauma. Lisa is that she too has experienced secondary trauma from working in a mentally and emotionally overwhelming environment. For this reason, Lisa empathizes with Carol and understands secondary trauma can undermine a professional’s performance