Patient Trauma Case Study

Because RPCI is a cancer institute, the focus of much of the staff is on the physical well being of the patient. Social workers are permitted to ask questions regarding a patients trauma history as part of a psychosocial assessment, though it is not seen as a priority unless it appears to be affecting the treatment of the patients cancer. The time a social worker spends with a patient is limited and there is a great deal of information a social worker is required to gather from a patient during an assessment so most patients trauma histories are not assessed. The only patients mandated to complete a thorough screening of their trauma history, as part of a more detailed psychosocial assessment, are those receiving bone marrow transplants. …show more content…
Doctors are also able to put in orders for supportive counseling and lethality assessments if they notice a patient may need emotional support or may be a danger to themselves. It is necessary for the staff of RPCI to be very attuned to the emotions of patients because the psychological well-being of individuals with cancer is often affected by the emotional distress associated with grief and depression. Feelings of grief are common among individuals with cancer, particularly at the end of life. Grief is a normal response to the loss the lifestyle they are accustomed to, their independence, their connection with loved ones, and their future (Kutner & Kilbourn, 2009). However, if the symptoms of grief become particularly unbearable, it may be a sign of depression. Depression is not uncommon among individuals with cancer. An estimated 25% of patients, receiving care for cancer, experience symptoms of depression (King, Heisel, & Lyness, 2005; Kutner & Kilbourn, 2009). Knowing how to identify possible symptoms of depression helps the staff of RPCI to keep patients