Human Services Workers: A Study of Perceptions of Their Role

Human services workers at the Veterans Administration Hospital, Brentwood, are involved with patients from the time they are admitted to the hospital until they are discharged and adjust to the community. As part of an evaluation of their role, a study was done of their tasks as perceived by themselves, by their supervisors, by other paraprofessionals, and by patients. In general, human services workers were perceived to be most involved in assisting patients in the hospital, followed by involvement in treatment planning; discharge; therapy; assisting patients in the community; support activities; community activities; patient admission and evaluation; and research, education, and program evaluation.