Volume 34, Winter 2010
Table of Contents
Caseloads and Salaries of Nephrology Social Workers by State, ESRD Network, and National Kidney Foundation Region: Summary Findings for 2007 and 2010
Joseph R. Merighi, MSW, PhD, Boston University School of Social Work; Teri Browne, MSW, PhD, University of South Carolina College of Social Work; Kathleen Bruder, BA, Boston University School of Social Work
The Council of Nephrology Social Workers and the National Kidney Foundation conducted two national online surveys of nephrology social workers to assess caseload and salary trends by state, End-Stage Renal Disease Network, and National Kidney Foundation Region. Between 2007 and 2010, outpatient dialysis social workers experienced increases in mean caseload size from 73 to 79 (up 8.2%) for those employed 20-31 hours per week, 113 to 121 (up 7.1%) for those employed 32-40 hrs/wk, and 117 to 126 (up 7.7%) for those employed 40 hrs/wk. Increases in mean hourly wage were also reported across all three employment status groups for dialysis social workers: $25.03 to $28.16 per hour (up 12.5%) for 20-31 hrs/wk, $24.65 to $27.18 per hour (up 10.3%) for 32-40 hrs/wk, and $24.49 to $26.93 per hour (up 10%) for social workers employed 40 hrs/wk. For transplant social workers, mean hourly wage data showed increases across all three employment status groups: $22.96 to $27.74 per hour (up 20.8%) for those employed 20-31 hrs/wk, $25.19 to $29.56 per hour (up 17.3%) for those employed 32-40 hrs/wk, and $24.57 to $29.79 per hour (up 21.2%) for those employed 40 hrs/wk. In general, increases in caseload and hourly wage were found for nearly all states, End Stage Renal Disease Networks, and National Kidney Foundation Regions.
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Kidney Transplant Patient Employment: Vocational Training and Intervention by Use of an Impairment Rather Than Disability Model-The Job Club
M.B. Callahan, ACSW, LCSW, Dallas Transplant Institute, Dallas, TX; W. Paris, PhD, LCSW, Abilene Christian University School of Social Work, Abilene, TX; M. Moncrief, LMSW, Dallas Transplant Institute, Dallas, TX
The present study is an attempt to test an intervention model that evaluates the impairment assessment model. N=342 kidney patients followed at a major Southwestern transplant program who had been transplanted from 2005-2009 were contacted. A total of N=27 unemployed kidney transplant recipients volunteered to participate in the Job Club Vocational Rehabilitation Program that was especially developed in a psychoeducational model in conjunction with local representatives of the state department of vocational rehabilitation services to address the needs of kidney transplant recipients. From pre- to post-Job Club there was significant (p‹0.05) improvement in their knowledge gain with minimal changes in their social support and self-esteem. Quality of life improved in all areas, but saw significant improvement in role-physical and general health. Patients were able to secure a significant number of jobs in a vocational program done in a psychoeducational group setting that had the ability to both get patients back to work and do so without major life disruptions to their self-esteem or increased anxiety. There has also been an ongoing interest among patients and staff about vocational rehabilitation services.
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Using the MATCH-D to Document the CMS Requirement to Offer All Modalities
Dori Schatell, MS, and Beth Witten MSW, ACSW, LSCSW
The CMS Conditions for Coverage for dialysis facilities that took effect on October 15, 2008, require that patients:
Be informed of all treatment modalities and settings, including but not limited to, transplantation, home dialysis modalities (home HD, IPD, CAPD, CCPD), and in-facility HD. The patient has the right to receive resource information for dialysis modalities not offered by the facility, including information about alternative scheduling options for working patients.
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Clinical Case Review: Returning to Dialysis after Transplant: A Nearly Silent Matter
Lara Tushla, MSW, LCSW, NSW-C, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago IL
While looking for resources for patients and healthcare providers to assist when a transplanted kidney has failed, I found a significant lack of literature. This article will review transplant survival statistics which underscore the scope of the subject and coping strategies identified in the literature. There is also a call to professionals for more attention to this matter.
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